Screening vs Guarding

Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. · #11 (**permalink**) Thu May 27, 2004, 11:36am

Quote:

Originally posted by BktBallRef

Quote:

Originally posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.
Example of a screen by a defensive player:

Team B is playing a 2-3 zone defense. Team A has control of the ball in its front court. A1 runs along the endline going from one corner to the other corner. As A1 running from one corner to the other corner, B4, who is playing the middle position of the three backline defenders takes a step backwards just as A1 gets to him. Contact occurs between A1 and B4. B4 was not guarding A1, but he was attempting to set a screen against A1. B4 is not facing A1. B4 did not A1 time and distance. Therefore, B4 is guilty of a blocking foul.

I have seen this type of defensive maneuver many times. I have called it many times. One coach in an AAU girls tournament did not like and continued to have his players do it. We must have called that foul eight times in the first half before the players finally learned not to do it.

That's not a screen, that's blocking. If it was a screen, you wouldn't have called a foul, would you? Blocking is NOT screening.

I did not say that blocking was screening. I have always preferred to use the term "guarding and screening" instead of "block/charge" because it better describes the subject matter being discussed because "block/charge" is the result of illegal contact during "guarding and screening."

When a screen is set that does not meet the requirements of R4-S39-A2, the result is a blocking foul by the person attempting to set the screen. Player B4 was attempting to set a screen against A1 and did not meet the requirements for a legal screen as set forth in R4-S39-A2 and therefore was guilty of a blocking foul.

[Edited by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. on May 27th, 2004 at 12:50 PM]