Chairman, L. W. St. Joun Vice-Chairman, Wm. McK. BarBer Secretary, Gzorce T. HEPBRON Treasurer, A. E. Mretzporr
Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 24 Broad Street, New York City 105 Nassau Street, New York City 97 Elmdorf Ave., Rochester, N. Y,

JOINT BASKETBALL COMMITTEE

OswaLD Tower, Editor

ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS

BULLETIN NO. 2 ON THE 1932-1933 BASKETBALL RULES

Since the first bulletin was issued, numerous questions of sufficient general interest have been raised to warrant
a second bulletin. By means of these it is hoped to secure uniform interpretations of the new rules to the end that all
sections may operate in harmony. The following interpretations do not change those of Bulletin No. 1, but merely
add to them.

Rute 14, Section 12. When is a player considered to have his back to the basket? The position of his feet and
shoulders determine this. If he is in a half-way position, that is, if his feet point toward the side line and his shoulders
are parallel to the side line, his back is not considered to be toward the basket; but if his feet or shoulders are in any
degree toward his back court from this position, his back is toward the basket.

If a player receives the ball in his free throw lane while his back is not toward the basket, of course the three
second count does not affect him; but if he then turns so that his back is toward the basket, the three second count
begins and continues, and he must get the ball outside the lane in not less than three seconds. Dribbling the ball in
the lane or passing it to another player in the lane is not getting it outside the lane. If he passes the ball within three
seconds and it is intercepted in the lane by an opponent, obviously he would not be penalized even though technically
he did not get the ball outside the lane. Moreover, if he passes the ball to a teammate who is going in for a shot at the
basket, no penalty should be imposed even though the teammate may be in the lane and therefore the ball may be in
the lane more than three seconds. In this case, as in others where the players comply with the spirit of the rules,
officials must exercise judgment and common sense, regardless of how definitely the rules may be worded.

If a player holding the ball with his back to his basket has one foot on or inside the lane, then pivots so that he is
entirely outside the lane, and finally pivots back on or into the lane, he is subject to the three second restriction, and
if the whole operation takes more than three seconds he loses the ball. If he pivots out of the lane within three seconds
and remains out, the three second rule does not apply. .

Rute 8, Section 8. When team A has the ball in its back court, the ten second count is continuous unless
team A loses control of the ball, and the ball is touched by team B while out of control of A. If A bounces the ball off
B and recovers it, a new ten second count does not start. If a pass by A is touched or even deflected by B, a new
count does not start if control of the ball remains with team A. If, however, the ball is fumbled and then touched by
B, or if B intercepts it, a new count begins when A regains the ball.

When team A gains possession of the ball in its front court after a try for goal, or from out of bounds, or from a
jump ball, or by recovering it from the possession of the opponents, team A may cause the ball to go back over the
center line once. Note that it must be recovered from the possession of the opponents; it is not sufficient for team B
to touch the ball while it is out of A’s control. This distinction is intentional. Having advanced the ball to the front
court, team A must keep it there unless one of the four definite plays occurs, as listed in the first sentence of this

- paragraph.

If team A passes the ball from its back court to its front court and the ball is batted back or deflected back by
team B, a new count starts for team A. The reason for this is that team A has done its duty by passing the ball to the
front court and the ball has returned to the back court through no fault of team A. A similar ruling would apply
when team A has the ball in its front court and the ball is batted or deflected into A’s back court by team B. Team A
should not be penalized, because in this case A does not cause the ball to go over the center line. Team A, however,
should not be permitted to beat the rule in any of these situations by deliberately bouncing the ball off their opponents,

December 1, 1932.