Talk about naive....

[rainmaker]

I admit this is a very embarassing question. You'd think I've have this down pat by now, but I don't, and I really need to know.

What does it mean when a coach talks about "screening away" and "screening down?" Please be specific in your descriptions.

[Nevadaref]

I'll answer as an ex-player. We used to run a motion offense that involved "pass and screen away." This meant that say you had the ball at the top of the key, you would pass to one wing and run to the other looking to set a pick for your teammate on that side. Your teammate would then be able to use your pick to either get open at the top of the key for a jumpshot (after receiving a return pass from the opposite wing) or curl down the lane for quick pass and lay-in.

I would have to say the basics are the same for any team which uses "screen away."

As for "screening down" I have usually heard this as "down screen" meaning that A1 has the ball at the top of the key. A2 and A3 are on the elbows (ends of the FT line) and A4 and A5 are on the blocks. A2 runs down the side of the lane and screens for A4 who tries to use the screen to come open near the FT line or maybe even curl around it for a dump in pass and lay-in. A3 does the same on the other side of the lane for A5.
This "screening down" can also be used to free someone to pop out onto the wing. Just start A2 on one wing and have him set a down screen for A4 who is starting near the block. A4 can now cut off that screen and receive a pass on the wing for a jumper or continue to run the offense.

You will generally hear coaches yell this when they are frustrated by the defense overplaying (denying) the passing lanes of their wing guards and their point guards out top cannot get rid of the ball. This down screening action opens up some release passes for the guards.
You will hear this comment right after 5 second calls or when the point guard picks up his dribble out top and the team has to burn a TO to prevent a turnover.

That is my understanding of those terms.

[Nevadaref]

I'll also add that I believe the double-down screen offense is one of the hardest to officiate in the two-whistle system.

Let's say that I am Trail and A1 has the ball above the top of the key. Therefore, I have responsibility for the dribbler and defender B1 who is playing man-to-man defense there.
Now I also have A2 standing on my side of the court on the wing being guarded by B2. When A2 goes and sets a screen a few feet outside of the lane on A3's defender B3, I have been pulled in two directions. My partner as Lead can't help me because he has A4 coming down from his wing to set a pick on the block right in front of him to free up A5.
Therefore, my partner has 4 players and contact right in front of him to watch.

If those down screens are physical and there is significant ball pressure on A1, this offense is dexter to officate!

My best thought has been to stay wide and try to see as much of both as possible. Probably even cheating a bit by not watching the dribbler right when I know the screen is being set.

[ChuckElias]

Juulie, I think "screen away" just means that the passer sets his/her screen on the weak side of the court. Pass one way, set the screen on the other side of the court.

"Screen down" just means that after the pass, the screen is set on the block.

[Hawks Coach]

Away simply means away from the ball when the ball is on one side of the court. Screening down is screening toward the baseline, which is effectively screening away from the ball when it is high. We screen down to get our entries into our offense, and immediately screen away. If the offense breaks down, our rules are always screen down when it is high, screen away from the wing if you aren't open.

You will usually hear coaches yelling for these things when their offense has broken down, and nobody appears to know what to do next.

[PGCougar]

And while we're on the discussion of screens, we can add a few more.

Add the "upscreen" in which the screener moves up and away from the basket in an attempt to screen for a cutter who will then make a basket cut looking for the lay-up. For example, A4 on the block could screen up for A5 at the high post (elbow) allowing A5 to cut into the paint looking for a feed and lay-up.

And the "backscreen", in plays that use the UCLA cut. For example, in a 1-4 high set (all four along the FT line extended), A1 (the point) will pass to the wing A3 as A2 sets a backscreen that A1 can rub off and basket cut for a feed leading to a lay-up.

[rainmaker]

Wow, five responses with no rancor, sarcasm or insults. Thanks folks, for the informative and helpful answers (no sarcasm). Now I just have to wait another week or two to find a game where this is helpful. I may have some more questions after that.

[Camron Rust]

One more common screen play (not sure what it called)....

4 and 5 on opposite blocks, man defense, ball out top.

4 cuts across to screen for 5 who then cuts back across receiving a pass after just clearing the screen. If 4's defender doesn't pick up 5, 2 points.

[Nevadaref]

Originally posted by Camron Rust
One more common screen play (not sure what it called)....

4 and 5 on opposite blocks, man defense, ball out top.

4 cuts across to screen for 5 who then cuts back across receiving a pass after just clearing the screen. If 4's defender doesn't pick up 5, 2 points.

Screen across.

[A Pennsylvania Coach]

Originally posted by PGCougar
And while we're on the discussion of screens, we can add a few more.

Add the "upscreen" in which the screener moves up and away from the basket in an attempt to screen for a cutter who will then make a basket cut looking for the lay-up. For example, A4 on the block could screen up for A5 at the high post (elbow) allowing A5 to cut into the paint looking for a feed and lay-up.

And the "backscreen", in plays that use the UCLA cut. For example, in a 1-4 high set (all four along the FT line extended), A1 (the point) will pass to the wing A3 as A2 sets a backscreen that A1 can rub off and basket cut for a feed leading to a lay-up.

I've heard and used all the terms in this thread except "upscreen". I'd interpret it, especially after reading your definitions, as a synonym of "backscreen". What is the difference between the two?

[Hawks Coach]

I use backscreen also - I can't envision an upscreen that isn't what I would call a backscreen.

But some people call it hedging and some people call it stepping out when discussing how to defend on a screen, so it seems an academic point to me.

[PGCougar]

Guilty as charged. The two are essentially the same.

I tend to use the term upscreen in the paint area to emphasize direction of the screen, especially in flex or high/low continuities. Oftentimes, in a flex, the second screen is down on the post with the curl cut. As the D adjusts to this, we like to counter with the post screening up allowing the cutter up high (the one who would have set the downscreen in this case) to rub off and basket cut, looking for a lay-up.

Another example is when you want to keep your big man near the blocks. After the downscreen and curl-cut with the post moving up the lane line to the high post, the downscreener then screens up for the post who rubs off cutting back down. Keeps the big boy on the blocks if you don't want him out on the arc, especially if you have a mismatch in post height to your advantage.

All screens away from the basket are set on the back of the defender, so you are right, upscreen and backscreen are the same. I picked up the term along with the concepts at a coaches clinic several years ago and it stuck. Never really thought about it much.

Hey, if no one has ever heard of it, do I get to copyright it?