Ask The Ref # 51 - More Reader Questions

QUESTION - At a recent Chaminade/St.Mary's game, a Chaminade player repeatedly slapped/banged the backboard with his hand while the St. Mary's players were shooting.  Is that legal?

ANSWER - The rule on this situation is frequently misunderstood.  Let's clarify.  The rule has to do with players "causing the backboard to vibrate" and thereby affecting the rebound of a shot played off the backboard.  If called, it results in a technical foul.  The rule is actually a throwback to a time when basketball backboards weren't nearly as stable as they are now.  But, in today's game, it is rare that backboards can be caused to vibrate enough to affect a shot, so we don't see it called.  (Ask yourself when was the last time you saw it called in a TV game?  Probably never).  Under current interpretations, if a defender is making a legitimate attempt to block a shot and he misses and, on his follow throught, slaps (or bangs) the backboard, it's generally a "no call" (no matter how "repeatedly" it happens).  But, if the referee judges that the defender is not making a legitimate attempt to block a shot and is simply "hot dogging" and slapping the backboard without trying to block the shot, he MIGHT consider calling "unsportsmanlike conduct."  But it's much more likely the referee will warn the player.  So, my advice?  Don't look for it to be called except by officials who don't understand the rule......you'll be "repeatedly" disappointed!

QUESTION - After the ref hands the ball to a player who is going to throw the ball in bounds, the player instinctively dribbles the ball once while out of bounds.  He dribbles the ball while standing out of bounds and does not dribble the ball on the line. Is this a violation?

ANSWER - No.  Bouncing the ball before making the throw in is legal.  However, it is not legal to have a pass hit out of bounds first before crossing the line to go inbounds.

QUESTION - Is the NBA the only league that has the "continuation" rule of

a shooter being able to continue after a foul has been called (i.e. take

another step, shoot 1 second after a foul) or has this rule been adopted

by either high school or NCAA ?

ANSWER - You are referring to is what is known as "continous motion" and, yes, it is in effect on all levels of play.  The rule states "If an opponent fouls after a player has started a try for goal, he (the shooter) is permitted to complete the customary arm movement, and if pivoting or stepping when fouled, may complete the usual foot or body movement in any activity (this includes shooting) while holding the ball."  There are a few other parts to the rule, but the gist of it is that the shooter is allowed to "continue" his shooting motion......  As you have probably seen, some shooting motions are started at quite a distance from the basket (as in a hard drive to the hoop) so this "continuous motion" can cover what seems like an inordinate amount of distance or time.  It's up to the official to judge whether the player had actually begun the act of shooting before the foul.  Naturally, since the players on the pro level are more skilled, they tend to get the greater benefit of the doubt by the officials but the principle is the same at all levels.

QUESTION - In a recent game I saw player A-1 get a rebound, turn and throw an outlet pass to his teammate, A-2 who was racing up the sideline.  A-2, looking back to see the pass, was unaware of a defender, B-2 who was ahead, waiting. A-2 caught the ball in the air, landed, bounced the ball immediately and at the last instant realized B-2 was there.  He caught the ball, plowed into B-2, bounced off him and landed pretty hard with the ball on the floor.  The referee called a "traveling" violation on the ball handler.  Somehow this doesn't seem right.  Can you explain?

ANSWER - Tough play.  Not every play is easy to sort out.  Here's the situation from the referee's perspective.  By rule, any player is entitled to any spot on the floor PROVIDED he gets there first and gets there legally.  In this case, defender B-2 did nothing wrong.  He had gotten to the spot first and legally and there was plenty of space between him and offensive player, A-2.  Once A-2 caught the ball and landed, he was thereafter responsible for avoiding a collision with B-2.  Once he began his dribble, he was under the same obligation as the driver of an automobile entering an intersection.......he needed to be aware and move with caution!  Obviously his speed and momentum were such that by the time he realized B-2 was there waiting for him, he was unable to avoid the collision.  The referee didn't call a foul on B-2 because he did nothing wrong.  He might have called a "player control" foul on A-2 for causing the collision but decided against it because B-2 had not been put at a disadvantage.  Everything was okay up to that point.  But when B-2 fell to the floor with the ball, it met one of the rule book definitions for a "traveling" violation......thus the call.  Sounds like the referee handled the situation exactly right, even if it "didn't seem right."

QUESTION - Player A-4, on the wing, catches a pass from teammate A-5 and is about to continue moving the ball back up top to teammate A-1.  Just as he's about to throw the pass, he spots a defender jumping into his passing lane and rather weakly lets the pass go......  A-4 then runs forward several paces and catches his own pass.  The coach of Team B jumps up, shouting "He can't receive his own pass!!"  Was the coach right?  Should the official have called a violation??

ANSWER - No.  On this play, the coach was wrong and the official should have held his whistle.  Even though we can all agree it looked like a pass, that is not the issue here. The only thing A-4 really did was to start a dribble.  Once the ball hit the floor, it's no different than the start of any other dribble and A-4 is allowed to catch the ball to end his dribble.  But, let's take it one step further......suppose A-4 first jumped into the air and then released the pass, rather weakly as above, and then ran it down (caught it, as above).  In this case, the coach would be correct.  The official would call a violation (traveling) because once a player's pivot foot leaves the floor while he is in control of the ball, the ONLY thing he can do is to shoot or pass.  He cannot start a dribble after that pivot foot leaves the floor.

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

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