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"Behind the Stripes" is written by veteran WIAA official B.J. Ligocki, an active message board poster who has helped many people on the forum with rules questions and clarifications over the years. The purpose of this feature is to help educate readers on any rules changes, clarify procedures and rules, provide case studies and examples, and answer any questions people may have on officiating or rules.

Feel free to email any rules or officiating questions you have at wissports.ask.a.ref@gmail.com for inclusion in future articles.

B.J. Ligocki:  Football (Master Level – 8 yrs – State Championship); Basketball (Level 5 – 16 years – Regional); Baseball/Softball (Level 5 – 16 years - Regional)

Last week I posted a quiz that addressed some common rule misconceptions.  If you missed it or want to try to answer the questions before you look at the answers, click here to see the full list of questions.

Thank you to the commenters brave enough to post their answers

1)  False. If the player receiving the pass didn’t control the ball when it initially hit off his hands, it wasn’t a dribble, no violation.  

2) False.  Team A never controlled the ball in the frontcourt.  Best way to think about back court violations; if a team has control and is the last to touch in the frontcourt AND first to touch in the backcourt then you have a violation.

3) False.  Until a player has both feet and the ball held or dribbled in the frontcourt, he is still considered in the backcourt.

4) False.  Traveling only occurs when a player rolls over or tries to stand, sliding from momentum is no problem.

5) False.  The number of steps is not considered in traveling violations.  Between TV/radio announcers and fans I have at least heard 1.5, 2, & 2.5.  (I don’t know what half a step looks like.)  After a pivot foot is established (Rule 4-44-2), if that foot is lifted and returned to the ground before a pass or shot is released, you have a travel.

6) False.  When a player attempts a shot, team & player control are lost.  Control is regained on the rebound and the player still has his dribble and all counts are reset.

7) True.  There is no definition or signal for these terms, stop yelling for them.

8) False.  No players are allowed on the lane, but as long as they are behind the 3-point line and free throw line extended, they can stand wherever they want.

9) I could have explained this one better, but I was looking for false.  If a player gets pushed into the bleachers, we will likely have an intentional foul.  Just because they are playing the ball doesn’t mean it can’t be intentional.  One of the reasons for calling an intentional is “excessive contact.”

10) False.  No jewelry means no jewelry.  They don’t need to be taken out but you can’t play with them in.

11) False.  Comes up more in youth games, but the 10 second backcourt count is reset each time after a dead ball.

12) True.  I think this carries over from football, but if a player is established inbounds he can touch the ball.

13) False.  An intentional foul on a made 2-point basket is still 2 free throws and the ball at the spot of the foul (not half court).

14) False.  The basket does not count.  The ball becomes dead immediately when a player control foul occurs so it never has a chance to go in and count.

15) False.  Goes along with question 6.  Once the shot is attempted, team control is lost and all counts reset and start again once team control is regained.

16) False.  “A player who is moving with the ball is required to stop or change direction to avoid contact with a defensive player who has established legal guarding position (LGP)…”  To obtain LGP the guard must have both feet on the floor and be facing the opponent.  After LGP is obtained:  one or both feet may be off the ground as long as the player is inbounds, the guard is not required to face the opponent, the guard may move laterally or backwards to maintain position, the guard may turn or duck to absorb contact.

17) False.  As long as the ball does not come to rest in his hand, it doesn’t matter how high the ball is dribbled.

18) False.  The inbounder has a 3 foot wide lane that extends from the out of bounds line to as far back as he can go.  As long as he keeps one foot in that 3 foot lane, he can do jumping jacks, pushups, or change his pivot foot.

Tie Breaker) 12 seconds.  Hold it for 4, dribble for 4, and hold it for another 4.  Technically 4.999…            seconds on each phase, but you get the idea.

Expert)  Trick question.  Once he gets the rebound, it should be an illegal dribble.  He has already dribbled and throwing off the opponent’s basket is not a shot and considered another dribble.  (Imagine a player is trapped in the backcourt and already used his dribble.  It is not legal to throw it off the wrong backboard and go get it.)  If that isn’t called, however, the ball becomes dead immediately when the B player fouls because a try is defined as shooting at your own basket.  The made basket is ignored (similar to the basket by the charging player being waved off).  Shoot the bonus if necessary on the other end and bring in the sub for B1 who the coach will surely pull out.