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Rule 4
SECTION 23 GUARDING
ART. 1 . . . Guarding is the act of legally placing the body in the path of an offensive opponent.
ART. 5 . . . Guarding a moving opponent without the ball:
a. Time and distance are factors required to obtain an initial legal position.
b. The guard must give the opponent the time and/or distance to avoid contact.
c. The distance need not be more than two strides.
Hedging is not a defensive screen as I understand the rules. It is a new defender establishing legal guarding position on an offensive player, as I read the rules. I cannot conceptualize a defensive screen as the rules are written. Anytime a defensive player steps in the path of an offensive player, it is considered to be guarding. If the offensive player does not have the ball, screening rules effectively apply, but the act itself is not considered screening. And I don't see the difference related to blind screens as applying to the defense. That is, I have always believed that offensive players are supposed to be able to see where they are going, defensive players are not assumed to be able to do so.
I am not saying this to be argumentative. I have tried to run through various defensive scenarios in my mind, and every time I find myself seeing legal guarding position rather than a screen. Is this wrong?
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