Basketball rules - Out of Bounds & Throw-in |
OUT OF BOUNDS. A player causes the ball to be put in play from out of bounds when the player touches all or any part of the boundary line. This is an automatic forfeit of possession. If a player loses control of the ball and it touches any part of the boundary line or the ceiling or equipment that might be hanging from the ceiling, it produces an immediate throw-in situation for the opponents. A similar throw-in situation develops if the ball touches a player already out of bounds.
OUT OF BOUNDS AWARDS. The ball is awarded to the opposing team out of bounds after: (a) every field goal and all successful free throws, except technical free throws, (b) each player-control foul, after each common foul until the bonus-free-throw rule is in effect, (d) in held-ball situations initiated by the defense for men, or in a held-ball situation for women when the defensive team owns the possession arrow, (e) for a violation when the defense causes a five-second closely guarded situation, and (f) the free throws for an intentional or flagrant personal foul have been shot (see Rule 10). After technical free throws, the ball is awarded to the shooting team at mid-court. After a timeout, out-of-bounds possession remains with the team in control when the clock stopped, unless an infraction or end of the period is involved.
THE THROW-IN. Any player of the team in control may make the throw-in. Only a designated thrower-in may be out of bounds. The player making the throw-in has five seconds to release the ball to a player inbounds. The thrower-in cannot leave the designated area nor score a field goal from out of bounds, and opponents are restrained from harassing the effort by being required not to cross the out-of-bounds boundary or its vertical plane.
