Hi Everyone,

I am fairly new and need to know what to look for when calling an illegal screen. I sometimes get lost in the language of the rule and have a hard time trying to apply it.

Thanks

Since you say that you get lost in the wording of the rule, I won't try to quote the rule. But the basic idea is that if the screener is moving when contact is made, or if contact is made outside of the screener's vertical plane, then it's a foul on the screener.

It gets much more detailed than that, but that's the Cliff Notes, more or less. Hope it helps.

Perhaps this will help.
 

Welcome Luv4Asian8,
Try this from the Points of Emphasis.
http://www.nfhs.org/Sports/basketball_emphasis.htm
mick
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B. Screening:

1. A legal screener must be stationary prior to contact with hands and arms close to the body. When these two requirements are not met, and when there is sufficient contact delivered by the screener to bump, slow or displace, it is a foul on the screener.

2. When a screen is blind, or a rear screen, it is only legal when the screened player is allowed a normal step backward. The screened player must then make a legitimate attempt to get around a legal screen without forcing rough or "displacing" contact. This type of contact must result in a foul on the screened player.

3. When a screen is set in view of an opposing player, the screener can get as close as he or she wishes in a legal stationary position. The burden is on the screened player to avoid contact that may result in a foul.

It's definitely a start, thanks!

illegal screen
 

An illegal screen is common with many young athletes who don't quite know how to set a pick...it is illegal when the player's feet are moving, or not planted to the ground, while setting the pick.

One thing that is widely misunderstood is that there must be CONTACT. Without contact, there is no foul. The call is a (persoal)FOUL (fist up) followed by a "blocking," "holding," or "pushing" signal. The NFHS rulebook covers CONTACT under Fouls and Penalties on page 62 (Rule 10-6).

Contact, contact, contact.

Without those three things, you have no foul.

I am a basketball referee. Are U a referee? I am from Romania and I shall come to US for one year. How can I referee in US?

Re: illegal screen
 

Hmmm...that's not always true. A screener can be moving and still be legally. (4-39-2c, 4-39-6)

In short, a stationary screener must establish his position so that the player being screened has time and distance to avoid the screen, and the screen is short of contact. If the player being screened is moving, the screener must give him 1 or 2 strides to avoid the contact.

If he slides in front of a moving opponent and doesn't give him time and space to avoid the screen, it's a foul if there's sufficient contact. If he screen a stationary opponent and makes contact, it's a foul.

cristim, once you get here, you'll have to contact the people in your area who assign officials. We can help you more once you get here but there's probably not much you can do in advnace. But you shouldn't have any trouble finding work.

I have a work place in Washington DC, but I also want to be a referee.

Sounds to me like you are making the assumption that legal guarding position has not been established (both feet of defender touching the floor with his/her torso facing the opponent).
Don't let anyone fool you into believing that once this postion has been established the defender cannot move....
And Mark D sums it up......there must be CONTACT in order for the foul (illegal screen) to occur.

I beleive he's referring to the screener, not the defender, since 99% of all screens are set by the offense.

Since youre a new ref get with an experience ref and learn how to referee the defense.
Youve seen enough basketball to know what the player is going to do, drive-shoot-pass-dribble-
You hae to open yourself and not watch the ball but know that screens are coming. By refereeing the defense you'll know when the Offense will set scrrens but by watching defense you'll know how many steps the defender took to plow the screen, etc.

Referee off ball hard and anticipate he screen. The cheap screen if you pick it up right is the fun call, it cleans things up when you make it, the good coaches watch officials and know what we watch for. I have been in several games where after calling a coule of illegal screens turned to players and siad somthing like --- you know how theyre going to call it clean it up...

Even if you call it against his team, if you call the illegal screen (particularly the obvious ones early) know you are working hard at off ball/referee defense and.. They'll respect it. With a lot of coaches now- If I call one early-- They either ask what the kid did wrong, or as I run by I'll tell the coach, and more often not the coach says--yeah I saw it, cause they did. If you call it consistent they'll respect it. The illegal screen calls often times set the tones of the game- If you call it loose elbows will get higher, and wider, and things will get rough. Get it early and you'' have less problems in the 4th