| Rules comments & interpretations
from Bill McKernan, Central Connecticut Board #6 |
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BASKET INTERFERENCE
A player cannot touch the ball, ring, or net while the ball is on the
ring or within the basket. A player cannot touch the ball if it is in
the imaginary cylinder above the ring. These are examples of basket
interference. It is legal to touch the ring or the net if the ball is
above the ring and not touching the ring, even if the ball is in the
imaginary cylinder above the ring. It is legal to hang on the ring if a
player is avoiding an injury to himself or herself or another player. |
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GOALTENDING
The backboard has nothing to do with goaltending. Goaltending is
contacting the ball on its downward flight, above the level of the rim,
with a chance to go in. On most lay-ups, the ball is going up after it
contacts the backboard. It is legal to pin the ball against the
backboard if it still on the way up and not in the imaginary cylinder
above the basket. Slapping the backboard is neither basket interference
nor is it goaltending and points cannot be awarded. A player who strikes
a backboard so forcefully that it cannot be ignored because it is an
attempt to draw attention to the player, or a means of venting
frustration, may be assessed a technical foul. When a player simply
attempts to block a shot and accidentally slaps the backboard it is
neither a violation nor is it a technical foul. |
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TRAVELING
The traveling rule is one of the most misunderstood rules in basketball.
To start a dribble, the ball must be released before the pivot foot is
lifted. On a pass or a shot, the pivot foot may be lifted, but may not
return to the floor before the ball is released. A player may slide on
the floor while trying to secure a loose ball until that player’s
momentum stops. At that point that player cannot attempt to get up or
rollover. A player securing a ball while on the floor cannot attempt to
stand up unless that player starts a dribble. A player in this situation
may also pass, shoot, or call a timeout. If the player is flat on his or
her back, that player may sit up without violating. |
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FUMBLE
The traveling rule is one of the most misunderstood rules in basketball.
To start a dribble, the ball must be released before the pivot foot is
lifted. On a pass or a shot, the pivot foot may be lifted, but may not
return to the floor before the ball is released. A player may slide on
the floor while trying to secure a loose ball until that player’s
momentum stops. At that point that player cannot attempt to get up or
rollover. A player securing a ball while on the floor cannot attempt to
stand up unless that player starts a dribble. A player in this situation
may also pass, shoot, or call a timeout. If the player is flat on his or
her back, that player may sit up without violating. |
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AIR BALL - AIRBORNE SHOOTER
The shooter can retrieve his or her own air ball, if the referee
considers it to be a shot attempt. The release ends team control. It is
not a violation for that player to start another dribble at that point.
When an airborne player keeps control of an attempted shot that is
blocked and is unable to release the ball and returns to the floor with
it, that player has not traveled; it is a jump ball. If, in this
situation, the shooter releases the ball, then this is simply a blocked
shot and play continues. |
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PALMING
Palming or carrying is when a player gains an advantage when the ball
comes to rest in the player's hand, and the player either travels with
the ball, or dribbles a second time. There is no restriction as to how
high a player may bounce the ball, provided the ball does not come to
rest in a player’s hand. Steps taken during a dribble are not
traveling, including several that are sometimes taken when a high
dribble takes place. It is not possible for a player to travel during a
dribble. |
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INBOUNDING - OFFENSE
A player inbounding the ball may step on, but not over the line. During
a designated spot throwing, the player inbounding the ball must keep one
foot on or over the three-foot wide designated spot. An inbounding
player is allowed to jump or move one or both feet. A player inbounding
the ball may move backward as far as the five-second time limit or space
allows. If player moves outside the three-foot wide designated spot it
is a violation, not traveling. In gymnasiums with limited space outside
the sidelines and end lines, a defensive player may be asked to step
back no ore than three feet. |
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INBOUNDING - DEFENSE
The defender may not break the imaginary plane during a throw in. If the
defender breaks the imaginary plane during a throw in, the defender’s
team will receive a warning. Any subsequent violations will result in a
team technical foul. If the defender contacts the ball after breaking
the imaginary plane, it is a player technical foul and a team warning
will be recorded. If the defender fouls the inbounding player after
breaking the imaginary plane, it is an intentional personal foul, and a
team warning will be recorded. |
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MOMENTUM
If a player's momentum carries him or her off the court, he or she can
be the first player to touch the ball after returning inbounds. That
player must not have left the court voluntarily and must immediately
return inbounds. That player must have something in and nothing out. It
is not necessary to have both feet back inbounds. |
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SCREEN
If a blind screen is set on a stationary defender, the defender must be
given one normal step to change direction and attempt to avoid contact.
If a screen is set on a moving defender, the defender gets a minimum of
one step and a maximum of two steps, depending on the speed and distance
of the defender. |
HAND PART OF THE BALL
The hand is considered part of the ball when the hand is in contact with
the ball. This includes holding, dribbling, passing, or even during a
shot attempt. Striking a ball handler or a shooter on that player's hand
that is incidental to an attempt to play the ball is not a foul, no
matter how loud it sounds or how much it hurts. |
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REACHING - CONTACT
Reaching in is not a foul. The term is nowhere to be found in any
rulebook. There must be contact to have a foul. The mere act of reaching
in, by itself, is nothing. If contact does occur, it’s either a
holding foul or an illegal use of hands foul. When a player, in order to
stop the clock, does not make a legitimate play for the ball, holds,
pushes or grabs away from the ball, or uses undue roughness, the foul is
an intentional foul. |
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OVER THE BACK - CONTACT
Over the back is not a foul. The term is nowhere to be found in any
rulebook. There must be contact to have a foul. A taller player may
often be able to get a rebound over a shorter player, even if the
shorter player has good rebounding position. If the shorter player is
displaced, then a pushing foul must be called. A rebounding player, with
an inside position, while boxing out, is not allowed to push back or
displace an opponent, which is a pushing foul. |
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BLOCK - CHARGE
A defensive player does not have to remain stationary to take a charge.
A defender may turn away or duck to absorb contact, provided he or she
has already established legal guarding position, which is both feet on
the playing court and facing the opponent. The defender can always move
backwards or sideways to maintain a legal guarding position and may even
have one or both feet off the playing court when contact occurs. That
player may legally rise vertically. If the defender is moving forward,
then the contact is caused by the defender, which is a blocking foul. |
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INCIDENTAL CONTACT
The mere fact that contact occurs does not constitute a foul. Incidental
contact is contact with an opponent which is permitted and does not
constitute a foul. Contact, which occurs unintentionally in an effort by
an opponent to reach a loose ball, or contact which may result when
opponents are in equally favorable positions to perform normal defensive
or offensive moves, should not be considered illegal, even though the
contact may be severe. Contact which does not hinder an opponent from
participating in normal defensive or offensive movements should be
considered incidental. |
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10 SECOND COUNT
A ten-second count continues when the defense deflects or bats the ball
in the backcourt. When a dribbler is advancing the ball into the
frontcourt, the ball maintains backcourt status until both feet and the
ball touch entirely in the frontcourt. |
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FRONT COURT - BACK COURT - TEAM CONTROL
During a throw in, even under a team’s own basket, if the throw in is
deflected, tipped, or batted by an offensive player in the frontcourt to
an offensive player in the backcourt; or after a missed field goal
attempt or a missed foul shot attempt, if the ball is deflected, tipped,
or batted by an offensive player in the frontcourt to an offensive
player in the backcourt; these are not a backcourt violations. In both
cases team control, a player holding or dribbling the ball, has not yet
been established. |
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| During a throw in or jump ball, any player;
or a defensive player, in making a steal; may legally jump from his or
her frontcourt, secure control of the ball with both feet off the floor,
and return to the floor with one or both feet in the backcourt. The
player may make a normal landing and it makes no difference whether the
first foot down is in the frontcourt or the backcourt. These three
situations are not backcourt violations. |
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CLOSELY GUARDED
The closely guarded rule is in effect in frontcourt only, when a
defender is within six feet of the ball handler. Up to three separate
five-second counts may occur on the same ball handler, holding,
dribbling, and holding. The count continues even if defenders switch.
The five-second count ends when a dribbler gets his or her head and
shoulders ahead of the defender. |
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3 SECOND COUNT
The intent of the three-second rule is to not allow an offensive player
to gain an advantage. Referees will not call this violation if the
player is not gaining an advantage. There is no three-second count
between the release of a shot and the control of a rebound, at which
time a new count starts. There is no three-second count during a throw
in. There is no three-second count while the ball is in the backcourt.
Allowance shall be made for a player who, having been in the restricted
area for less than three seconds, dribbles in or moves immediately to
try for goal. |
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FREE THROWS
On free throws, there is a maximum of two offensive players and four
defensive players in the six marked lane spaces. The defense must be in
both bottom spaces on all free throws. The shooter and all the players
in the designated lane spaces must wait until the ball hits rim or
backboard before entering the lane. During a free throw, no opponent,
including bench personnel, may disconcert the free thrower. |
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HEAD COACH CALLING TIME OUT
The head coach may request and be granted a timeout if his or her player
is holding or dribbling the ball, or during a dead ball period. A player
saving the ball in the air can ask for and be granted a timeout even if
that player is going out of bounds. The key is whether or not the player
has control of the ball. |
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KICKING
Kicking the ball is intentionally striking it with any part of the leg
or foot. An unintentionally kicked ball is never illegal, regardless of
how far the ball goes and who recovers it. It is also illegal to hit the
ball with a fist. |
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BACKBOARD
The front, top, sides, and bottom of the backboard are all in play. The
ball cannot pass over a rectangular backboard from either direction. The
back of a backboard is out of bounds as well as the supporting
structures. |
