Server tosses ball - hits rim
 

I've looked in NFHS rule book and case book as well as this site and cannot find the ruling. Maybe somebody here can help. ?
The Server tosses the ball for serve, ball hits rim on a lowered basketball hoop over the playable area and bounces away from the server. ruling?

I asked our officials association rules interpreter this very question earlier this year. They took the question to the Ohio High School Athletic Association commissioner for volleyball and they said the ruling should be point to the other team and the signal should be "out". They said the server has the option to move out of the way of the backboard.

Why would it be out - she didn't hit it yet. At worst, this is her first reserve.

However, seems to me that if a ball hits equipment that shouldn't be there, a replay is more appropriate.

But she did toss it there, so she would have been the last to contact it into an obstruction in playable area.

If you choose to toss a ball that could hit that equipment, you shouldn't be bailed out for it. I have always ruled that this would be ruled out, but you must make sure you cover that in your captains/coaches meeting. Since I always cover it, I've never had it be an issue during the match, since the players know they won't get a re-serve for it.

Thanks for the feedback!

Let me ask this then. A server throws a horrible toss that lands 15 feet to the right and in the stands, but does not contact the ball with her serving hand.

Is this not a re-serve (if she still has one)?

How is the OP different.

Only if the server strikes the ball with her serving hand and THEN it goes out or hits something do we have a fault. If the server never strikes the ball, it's a re-serve. Am I wrong?

I can't find a NHFS rule or case explanation of this situation, but in the NCAA rulebook there is the following:

13.1.3.2 After being clearly released or tossed from the hand(s) of the server, the ball must be cleanly hit for service. If the service toss contacts any obstruction before contact of the service, the serving team loses the rally.

The USAV rulebook states the following:

12.6.1.2: It is a serving fault if the service toss touches any obstruction before the service contact.

Hope this is helpful.

But for NFHS, we have 3-4-1d The Ball Contacts any part of a backboard or supports...
PENALTY:
2. When in the judgement of the referee the ball would have rmained in play had the backboard not been over the playable area, a replay is granted.

So if you aren't going to follow the guidance from NCAA/USAV that pavbref noted, then this would be a replay not a re-serve.

8-1-6 calls for a re-serve when: a ball that is release for service and then is caught or allowed to fall to the floor. The definition of re-serve does not include a toss that contacts the wall behind the server or an overhead obstruction like the backboard.

Playing devils advocate (I promise I'm not just trolling)... why would you say (without outside definition otherwise) that a ball that hit an obstruction or even the wall behind the server doesn't fall within the definition of "allowed to fall to the floor". To me, that definition includes any serve not struck by the server.

I guess this is why we sent it to Interp. :cool:

I agree....