[jvriezen]

The glossary defines POSSESS like this:

POSSESS: (for a ROBOT) to
1) carry (move while supporting BALLS in or on the ROBOT),
2) herd (repeated pushing or bumping),
3) launch (impel BALLS to a desired location or direction via a MECHANISM in motion relative to the ROBOT),
or
4) trap (overt isolation or holding one or more BALLS against a FIELD element or ROBOT in an attempt to shield them) a BALL.

Item 4 is most likely intended to be applicable to POSSESSING an opponent's ball, but there is no reason it should not also be applicable to posessing your own ball, for purpose of recording ASSISTS. The ball is being "shielded" from the defensive robot bull-dozing it.

So, consider scenarios:

1) Two Red bots travel side by side with a Red ball 'sandwiched' between them (maybe in co-designed mechanisms or just between gapped bumpers) and travel from one zone to the next. If either bot were to have not been there, the ball would have fallen away. Two ASSISTS?

2) One bot is carrying the ball from one zone to another, and briefly opens its claw which would normally let the ball fall out, but a partner bot has an appendage (or side wall of bot) there preventing it from falling out. The claw re-closes to grab the ball. Two ASSISTS?

3) One bot is carrying the ball from one zone to another, and does not release its 'grip' on the ball, but a partner bot presses on the ball with an appendage (or bumper or any robot part) Two ASSISTS?

4) One bot has the ball in a cradle such that a sudden acceleration would cause the ball to be lost (no 'grip', just a ball carry that relies on gravity). A partner bot presses against the ball in the cradle. Again, the cradle bot has visited two zones. Two ASSISTS ?