Control: Player and Team

What is player control?  When is player control established?  What is team control then?  What's the difference between team control and player control?

This section explores the rules at a high level behind player control, team control, and the significance of understanding player and team control.

The NFHS basketball rules book covers team control and player control in Section 4-12.

Note: The information covered in this section applies to games following NFHS rules.

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A team control is said to have team control:

1. When there is player control
2. When a live ball is being passed among teammates
3. During an interrupted dribble
4. When a free throw shooter has disposal of the ball
5. When a player of the team has disposal of the ball for a throw in

Note: For #4 and #5 above, there is player control so it satisfies condition #1.

Quite simply put, during live ball, team control designates the team on offense.

Team control ends:

1. On release of the ball for a try or tap
2. An opponent secures control
3. The ball becomes dead

Note: A defensive player knocking the ball away does not satisfy the conditions for ending team control.  Team control is maintained until a defensive player gains player control of the ball, thus establishing team control for his/her team.

A player has player control of the ball when that player:

1. Is holding the ball
2. Is dribbling the ball

No player control exists:

1. During an interrupted dribble
2. When there is a loose ball
3. When the ball is dead

When a player initially secures player control of the ball, that player also secures team control for his/her team.

Correlation Between Team Control and Player Control

• If there is player control, then there is also team control:
• A player holding or dribbling the ball satisfies the conditions for team control
• Even though there is team control, there may not necessarily be player control:
• When a player releases the ball for a pass, there is no player control, but the requirements for ending team control have not been met so there is team control.
• When a defender knocks the ball away, while the ball is loose, there is no player control, but the requirements for ending team control have not been met so there is team control.
• If there is no team control, there is no player control.

Timeouts

• The offensive team can only call a timeout when there is player control.
• If there is only team control, then the offensive cannot be granted a timeout.
• i.e. during an interrupted dribble, a deflection, or a pass, there is team control, but no player control.  Therefore, a timeout cannot be granted.
• i.e. during a held ball, there is team control, but no player control.  Therefore, a timeout cannot be granted.

Fouls

• While there is team control, any foul committed by the offense shall either be a team control foul or player control foul.  The significance here is that no points can be scored as a result of a team control foul or player control foul.
• If a player commits a player control foul after a try (airborne shooter exception), the basket will be waved off if it is successful (points cannot be scored).
• If a player commits a team control foul and the opposing team is in the bonus, then bonus free-throws are not awarded.

• When enforcing player and team control fouls, since the foul results in a loss of possession (and loss of points if try was good) for the team, do not penalize the team twice by awarded their opponent bonus free throws.

• Easier way to remember: the ball is always inbounded at the point of interruption following a player control or team control foul.

• Note: Remember that team control ends on the release of the ball for a try or tap so after the shooter shoots the ball, if a foul is committed by the former offensive team, then this is not a team control foul (since team control ended) and if free throws are merited, then they are awarded.

Three-Second Violation

• Team control is a requirement for a three-second violation.  If there is no team control, then there cannot be a three-second violation.  Once the team re-establishes team control, then the counter for a three-second violation restarts.

• So this means if the offensive team continues to get the rebound and then immediately shoots, there cannot be a three-second violation even though offensive players are in the lane during the sequence.

Traveling Violation

• A player has to have player control in order to travel.  Player control ends when team control ends, like on a shot.  This is why a player is allowed to catch his/own air ball.  

Question: A1 is dribbling the ball and B1 knocks the ball away.  Is there player control?  Is there team control?
Answer:  There is no longer player control because A1 is not holding or dribbling the ball.  There is team control because the conditions of ending team control have not yet been met.

Question: A1 is holding the ball when (1) A1 gets doubled teamed by B1 and B2 or (2) B1 comes in and grabs the ball such that both A1 and B1 are holding the ball.  Is Coach A allowed to call a timeout?
Answer: In scenario (1) above, there is player control so Coach A can be granted a timeout.  In scenario (2) above, there is no player control so Coach A cannot be granted a timeout.

Question: A1 is dribbling the ball and B1 knocks the ball away.  A1 fouls B1 in trying to retrieve the loose ball.  Team B is in the bonus, are free throws awarded to B1?
Answer:  The conditions of ending team control have not yet been met. Therefore, there is team control and no shots are awarded on team control fouls.  B1 will not be entitled to any free throws.

Question: A1 is dribbling the ball and B1 knocks the ball away.  B1 fouls A1 in trying to retrieve the loose ball.  Team A is in the bonus, are free throws awarded to A1?
Answer: The conditions of ending team control have not yet been met. Team A still retains team control of the ball.  B1’s foul is not a team control foul, therefore A1 will be entitled to shoot the bonus free throws.

Question: A1 goes up for the shot, releases the ball and then crashes into B1 who has established a legal guarding position.  What is the correct enforcement?
Answer: A1 is considered to be an airborne shooting until A1 returns to the ground.  A1’s contact happened before A1 returned to the ground.  This is a player control foul and the basket is disallowed.

Question: A1 goes up for the shot, releases the ball and then gets one foot on the floor before crashing into B1 who has established a legal guarding position.  What is the correct enforcement?
Answer: A1 has returned to the floor and is no longer an airborne shooter.  There is no team control or player control at this point.  Since the foul occurred after A1 has returned to the floor, a common foul shall be called on A1 and B1 will be entitled to free throws if Team B is in the bonus.

Question: Prior to A1 releasing the ball for a try, A2 fouls B2.  A1 continues the motion and the try is successful.  What is the correct enforcement?
Answer:  A2’s foul occurred prior to A1’s release of the ball for a try so there is both player control and team control.  This is a team control foul and the basket will be disallowed.

Question: After A1 releases the ball for a try, A2 fouls B2.  The try is successful.  What is the correct enforcement?
Answer:  A2’s foul occurred after A1’s release of the ball for a try so there is neither player control or team control.  A common foul shall be called on A2 and B2 will be entitled to free throws if Team B is in the bonus.

Question: After establishing player control, A1 releases the pass to A2. Upon realizing that B1 will intercept the pass, A1 asks for timeout.  Shall the official grant the requested timeout?
Answer:  No.  During live ball, there must be player control in order to be granted a timeout.  The official shall not grant a timeout in this instance.