Ask The Ref # 52 - MANY More Reader Questions

QUESTION - In a recent televised game at Duke, a dribbler brought the ball up, stopped with both feet on the mid-court line and bounced the ball over the line into the front court and then back again into the back court.  The commentators went on for several minutes debating whether or not the officials should have called a back court violation when the ball was bounced in the back court.  What's the rule?

ANSWER - There was no back court violation.  In order for a back court violation to occur, the BALL must first achieve front court status.  Since the ball was being advanced by a DRIBBLER, this means the BALL had the same status as the dribbler.  In order for the dribbler (and the ball....) to achieve front court status, "both feet and the ball" must completely cross the mid-court line.  In this play, the player was standing on the mid-court line and was therefore still in the back court, thus the ball is considered to still have back court status.

QUESTION - Team A is bringing the ball up court and dribbler A-1 crosses into frontcourt.  Teammate A-2 is still in backcourt.  A-1 then throws ball to A-2 who, upon seeing the pass, jumps over the center line.  A-2 is in the air when he catches the ball, but lands with both feet in the frontcourt. Is this a violation?

ANSWER - This is a violation. Here it is in a nutshell.  Since player A-1 was DRIBBLING the ball, the BALL attained "front court status" when both his feet and the ball were in front court.  If any of those three things (two feet plus ball) had been missing, the BALL would still have had back court status.  So, in this case, the BALL (with front court status) is being thrown to A-2 (who has back court status because he last touched the court in the back court) You can figure out the rest.....the ball is being caught by the player (A-2) with back court status and therefore the ball is now deemed to be in the back court again.  It's really no different than the ball going over one of the sidelines and being touched by a player coming from out of bounds and catching the ball in the air and landing back in bounds again. Tweet!  Violation!

QUESTION - I thought I had a good understanding of "over and back" in high school basketball.  Here's my confusion about a call I've seen made a few times.  Offensive player, A-1, with ball in back court throws to teammate, A-2, who is completely in front court.   A-2 jumps and, while in the air, catches the ball and lands completely in the back court. Whistle blows....violation!  I wouldn't think this to be the case because neither the ball nor a player with the ball was ever in the front court.  Am I missing something here?

ANSWER - Yes, you are missing the same thing a lot of people are missing.  It's the BALL, not the person, that we are focused on when we talk about "over and back" (more correctly, "back court violations").   Both the player(s) and the BALL have a "status" at all times but to sort this play out, you need to be concerned about the BALL.  When player A-1 held the ball in the back court, the BALL had "back court status."  It continued to have that status until it was touched by A-2 (who had "front court status" because he came from the front court).  Once that ball is caught, or touched, by A-2, the status of the ball becomes the same as that of the player.....thus, the BALL has "front court status."  When A-2 subsequently lands in back court, his status is "back court" and it is A-2 that is "deemed to have caused the BALL to go into the back court."  It isn't much different than the play above, is it? 

QUESTION (from Pittsburgh) - If a ball goes over the top of a backboard without hitting the top (or anything else) and then is caught in play, is the ball to be ruled out?

ANSWER - YES.  The ball is considered out of bounds any time it goes over the top of the backboard whether or not it hits anything up there.  Sometimes it sort of goes over the corner of the board and it isn't clear that it went over the top, so the officials might "pass" on the call.  But if it clearly goes over the top, it's a violation.

QUESTION (from Wisconsin) - I was notified by the opposing coach that a girl who was shooting a free throw had a metal barrette in her hair.  The barrette was underneath a long pony tail so it was not noticed before the start of the game.  Upon noticing it I asked the player to remove it and I took it to the bench area and was ready to resume play.  My partner then called a technical foul on the player and indirectly to the coach.  I cannot not find a penalty for this infraction other than to have it removed and continue play.  What is your take on the call? Thanks.

ANSWER - Simple..... your partner should have consulted with you first!  The correct procedure would be to instruct the girl to remove the piece of metal immediately (since this is the first time it has been noticed) and give it to someone on the bench.  Play would immediately resume and she would shoot her free throws as normal.  If this cannot be done quickly for some reason, then the girl would be instructed to leave the game while she resolves the problem and her substitute would take the free throws. The game should not be delayed.  There is no provision for a technical in this situation, even in Wisconsin!

QUESTION (from Minnesota) - Does the National Federation allow a substitute to come off the bench to shoot technical foul shots?  I know they used to, but am not certain if it is allowed today.

ANSWER - YES, under Federation (high school) rules, ANY player on the court or on the bench can shoot the technical foul shots.  In fact, two different players can each shoot one.

QUESTION - Can you intentionally throw the basketball at the other player in order to re-gain your dribble after you have stopped?  I feel this is an intentional foul, but to my husband, this is fair play.  Please advise.

ANSWER - Sorry, but hubby is correct (almost......).  In general, if the player throws the ball against the other player, the referee must quickly make a judgment, based on what he observed.  If the ref saw it as a relatively benign way to escape a trap, it's probably a good "no call".  But, let's suppose the ref saw the player deliberately throw the ball into the defender's face...then what?  In that case, it's not much different than any other act that is totally out of the realm of normal contact situations.  The official will have to decide, based on what he observed, if he should call "intentional foul" (2 shots plus the ball at the spot of the infraction) or "technical foul" for unsportsmanlike conduct (2 shots plus the ball at mid-court, plus the fact that the player would be ejected if he picks up another technical) or, in the worst possible scenario, "flagrant foul" (2 shots, plus the ball, plus automatic ejection of the player). 

QUESTION - How is this jump ball play handled?  The players line up to start the game with the two jumpers facing in the wrong direction.  The officials do not notice that the teams are not headed towards the goals where they warmed up in pre-game. The ball is put in play with Team A winning the tap.  They immediately drive toward the basket they were facing at the jump.  The ball is quickly stolen by Team B and put in the same basket Team A was headed towards.  Who is awarded the two points?  Team A because they were facing that basket on the jump or Team B who practiced at that basket?  Also, if it is Team B, should there have been an "over and back" call (back court violation) immediately when Team A went from front court to back court? Thank you.

ANSWER - This incredible series of events is not as rare or unusual as you might think, especially at the lower levels of play.  Let's sort it out.  Like it or not, the solution is that EVERYTHING that occurs up to the point when the error is recognized by the officials COUNTS as though the game were proceeding normally.  So, in this case, Team A headed towards "the wrong basket" and the ball is stolen by Team B and a goal is scored in that basket.....  For the moment and ONLY under this unfortunate scenario, this goal counts for Team A.  And now the error is recognized.  The officials will simply turn the teams in the right direction, give the ball to Team B at the far end (end line) and (now trailing 2 - 0 in the score) action will continue as normal.  If B had stolen the ball and headed back in the other direction to score, then that goal would have counted for Team B and Team A would have gotten the ball back at the other end line.  As to the "over and back" there is "no call" since (as above...) all the actions count as if the teams were going in the right direction.  Let's try to keep this kind of stuff to a minimum!

QUESTION - A player goes up for a shot, is fouled while shooting, misses the shot and is awarded 2 free throws. Does the scorer mark a missed field goal attempt?

ANSWER - NO.  It does not count as an attempt when the shooter is fouled and the shot misses.

QUESTION - After a made basket, the ball is inbounded improperly and dribbled up court.  The ref starts the 5 count.  The coach asks for a timeout at the 3 count. What's the correct thing for the ref to do?

ANSWER - This question confused me because I didn't understand the part about the ball being "inbounded improperly" and starting "the 5 count."  Those two things do not jive in this situation.  If the ball somehow came inbounds improperly and neither official noticed it, UGH! - they should never take their eyes off the action.  But, once the ball is in play in the back court, there is no "5 count"....the only count that would be going on is the "10 second" count to get the ball across mid-court.  Are there any other possibilities?  Well, I suppose it's possible that the ref saw the ball inbounded improperly and mistakenly thought the players were entitled to the full 5 seconds to recognize and correct their mistake.  That would open up the possibility that the coach might try to get a time out and, in this confusing mess, the official might actually recognize the coach's request and give it to him.  Whad'ya gonna do?  Referees make mistakes!  I hope this didn't happen above the CYO level!

Do you have a question?  Have you seen a play you didn't understand?   Was there

a controversy you'd like clarified?  Send your questions in and I'll do my best to get you an answer.

                                                            Skip Yutzler

                                                         IAABO Board 127

                             36 Years High School and Junior College Official

                            5 Times NY State HS Championships - Glens Falls

LongIslandBasketball.com

   Your Basketball Home

    # 52

Ask The Ref !