Illegal Screen?

[ChuckS]

Playing Devil's Advocate, based on the recent posts by DeeCee and Camron and NevadaRef:

A1, standing still at the top of the FT semi-circle, unguarded, dribbling. Cutter A2 runs parallel to the end line, through the FT lane. B1, standing near the basket, sees A2 begin his cut, and tries to draw an illegal screen call by timing his approach to "guard" A1, so that he collides with A2....illegal screen?

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

Playing Devil's Advocate, based on the recent posts by DeeCee and Camron and NevadaRef:

A1, standing still at the top of the FT semi-circle, unguarded, dribbling. Cutter A2 runs parallel to the end line, through the FT lane. B1, standing near the basket, sees A2 begin his cut, and tries to draw an illegal screen call by timing his approach to "guard" A1, so that he collides with A2....illegal screen?

Yes....or No.

You have to determine where B1 is trying to get to.

Is B1 chucking a cutter preventing A1 from getting somewhere and committing a block in doing so or is B1 trying to defend A1 and A2 is illegally cutting of B1's path to A1.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Yes....or No.

You have to determine where B1 is trying to get to.

Is B1 chucking a cutter preventing A1 from getting somewhere and committing a block in doing so or is B1 trying to defend A1 and A2 is illegally cutting of B1's path to A1.

NCAA-Men's wants us to call a double foul if the defender "blows up" an illegal screener.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Raymond

NCAA-Men's wants us to call a double foul if the defender "blows up" an illegal screener.

I could go with that.

[deecee]

I can buy the reasons given. It just seems off.

Take a defensive rebound and players transitioning. A defender is out of position and moving towards guarding his opponent. An offensive player (say a post player) is simply moving from defense to offense to get to his position. The fact that he has to stop because "he is simply in the way" is a difficult sell to me. The logic makes sense, but this also negates the fact that the offensive player has a right to his spot on the floor and is clearly not a screener.

[BillyMac]

Officials see this situation a few times each year, two offensive players and one defensive player on a breakaway, all heading toward the basket, with one offensive player between the ball handler and the defensive player.

And, or course, the fans, and maybe even the misinformed coach, are yelling for a "Moving screen".

Most of the time we just smile and think to ourselves, "Yeah, it's certainly a moving screen, but it's not illegal because there's no contact, a moving screen is, in itself, not illegal".

And then occasionally there is contact, the offensive player without the ball, while moving, contacts the defender, preventing him from defending the ball handler.

That's an illegal moving screen, more accurately known as a team control blocking foul.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by deecee

I can buy the reasons given. It just seems off.

Take a defensive rebound and players transitioning. A defender is out of position and moving towards guarding his opponent. An offensive player (say a post player) is simply moving from defense to offense to get to his position. The fact that he has to stop because "he is simply in the way" is a difficult sell to me. The logic makes sense, but this also negates the fact that the offensive player has a right to his spot on the floor and is clearly not a screener.

For me, I judge it based on what actually happens. If A2 is attacking the basket, they'll often be a step ahead or at least pressing the pace, hoping for a pass, I got nothing. However, if A2 is clearly running interference and not trying to attack, A2 is screening. It is certainly judgement.

Why do you say the offensive player is clearly not a screener. Being a screener isn't something B1 has to designate. If A2 blocks the path of another player, deliberately or not, A2 is, by defintion, a screening. Screening is the effect of the position, not the intent of the action.

Additionally, a defender has the right to the path to play defense and such path has to be blocked (screened) at least 1-2 steps before the defender gets to a spot (moving defender).