[ColdShot]

> Maybe you posted this late at night and you weren't thinking clearly. Does turning count as stepping? Are you serious?

I apologize, I was not clear. The screenee is above the top and to the left of the key. His back is to the baseline. The ball still hasn't crossed half court. His man is in front of him, slightly to his left. Suddenly the ball is passed over his head and to his left towards the baseline. His man also cuts towards the baseline on his left. He tries follow the ball and his man as he begins to rotate his body to his left where his man and the ball are. I'll try to break the next part down in "slow motion":

The screenee pivots on his right foot, his left foot comes off the floor as he rotates to his left and then his left foot comes back to the floor (net movement down court is minimal, but he has rotated about 45 degrees. Again the screener is behind his original position so he doesn't see him yet). He begins to step towards the baseline after lifting his right foot to take a (normal?) step. The right foot never hits the ground. Faces crack together as he makes contact with the screener.

Try this in your office: stand facing one wall, with a small picture or other object directly (180 degrees) behind you. Slowly turn and take a step towards the picture. The act of making a 180 degree turn is a two part process. A rotational pivot with little down court *movement* and then a directional step. Depending on the amount of rotation, and your focus point, you may not see the picture until you've already started your directional step. You do not make a 180 degree turn in one step, indeed it's nearly impossible to turn 180 degrees in one "normal" movement.

Once again the NCAA wording:

"A player shall not cause contact by setting a screen outside the visual field of a stationary opponent that does not allow this opponent a *normal step to move*."

I'm not trying to be difficult, I'm just looking for clarity regarding your various interpretations. Yes, in the act of turning around your feet come off the floor and then come back down before you've turned enough to see what is behind you. Are those turning movements considered "normal steps"? Obviously it is different, but if the ball handler pivots on one foot it is not considered a "step".

Thanks again, and my apologies for the lousy description.

Originally posted by ChuckElias

Maybe you posted this late at night and you weren't thinking clearly. Does turning count as stepping? Are you serious? Stepping counts as stepping. Pick up a foot and put that foot back down. That's a step. The screened player must be allowed to make that movement (pick up a foot and put it back down) before contacting the screener.

Why are you trying to make this so hard? It's a step. If he can take a step toward the screener before contact, the screen is legal. If contact occurs before the step toward the screener is completed, it's a foul on the screener.