Question about a junior girls play
 

So... since team mates are allowed to touch each other and, in our league, back court defense is not allowed I'm wondering about something that I'm not sure is legal or not legal. The players in possession of the ball ran down and lined up on the half court line, joined hands but were facing the other teams basket. Because back court defense was not allowed the defending players were not able to cross the half court line to get in front of them. The guard dribbled into them where they formed a ring around the guard and closed hands together... there was really no way to reasonably break the ring without drawing a foul but i couldn't think of any reason why this technically wouldn't be allowed either. Anyway it was 11 year old girls so, there's bound to be some silliness anyway. Thoughts? Opinions?

If the defense simply stood between the offense and the basket and the offensive team made contact it would be a moving screen. This is a really dumb play though.

So, after the guard entered this ring of teammates, then what did they do?

That is a team technical foul.

Or a 5-second violation (9-10-1b)

And, I'd treat the division line the same as any other boundary line if the players tried to line up parallel to it and pass the ball on the BC side of the plane

Yes, you could go that direction too. I think the difference is the locking of hands/arms that the T requires while the 5-second rule only requires enclosure. Once they lock arms, I think that would push the call to the T.

Now, if you want to get silly with such a play, what if the offensive players formed such circle then placed the ball on the floor in the middle of their circle. The ball would not be in player control so it would be harder to call that...I think the T would be the only recourse.

Why not, as a defender, just walk around it, into the BC, and take the ball (if on the floor)? I realize that it is not allowed but who cares? The ref will stop the game and the defense will get what they accomplished. Yes, they could then inbound in the BC and do the same thing but come on, these are 11 year olds. What kind of coach teaches this to 11 year olds? Yikes.

How could 4 11-year-old girls occupy the entire half circle perimeter without being in an illegal position. If feet are greater than should width apart, in order to accomplish this, call an illegal screen, lol. Or, if that far apart, crawl through the legs. When the defender collapses them, call a foul on her, lol.

I do believe that locking arms/hands is illegal.;)

I would use a T as an absolute last resort in a game involving 11 year olds.

the good ol ring of fire defense.

I would go straight to a technical foul.

Or, in real life, consider what kind of game it is and tell the coach: "Knock it off. That isn't basketball."

Illegal ...
 

4-24-9: It is not legal to lock arms or grasp a teammate(s) in an effort to
restrict the movement of an opponent.

Team Technical: A team shall not: Allow players to lock arms or grasp a teammate(s) in an effort to
restrict the movement of an opponent.

Please, a rule citation for 'moving screen'?
Do you also call 'over-the-back' and 'reaching in'?

This is a public forum mainly populated by officials who know the proper terminology.

We would not want to adversely influence an inexperienced official or (God forbid) a fanboy if they should drop by.

Don't want to be seen as espousing 'fan speak'.

'Moving screen' is fan speak now??

If it is used as justification for calling a foul or a violation by someone presenting themselves as an official.
Since you seem to be in the know about this term, maybe you can help me understand whether to call a foul or a violation.

Sounds like a team party watching the Mighty Ducks or that soccer movie (Kicking and Screaming maybe?) in which essentially that play was used by the heroic underdogs, and tried to bring it to basketball. (I don't know about the hockey version, but the soccer version was illegal.)