Hi, sorry if these has been asked already, I didn't notice any tools that I could use to search thread topics.

Question 1: If the offensive player drives around a screen (parallel and then a sharp turn to be perpendicular to the basket)and lowers their shoulder and makes hard contact with the torso (under the ribcage) of the secondary defender (Who was the defender of the screen)who has taken a step parallel to the basket in the same direction as the ball handler but the defender is still between the ball handler and the basket, is it considered a no call since both players appear to be at fault?

Question 2: Can a secondary defender draw a charge if they intentionally go beside the primary defender and (exactly like a wall in soccer) turn their back to the offensive player so that they are facing the basket rather than the offensive player and their feet are planted? Does it matter if the offensive player has picked up their dribble and driven past the primary defender before the second defender sets their feet?

You're correct that there is no active search function...it's been turned off for a long time.

#1. The lowering of the shoulder is simply a clue that may not even be relevant at all. The first question is what was the defender doing? Did the defender have legal guarding position? It sounds like the defender did have LGP...the defender stepped laterally relative to the dribbler (and not towards the dribbler at the point of contact) such that the 2nd defender was fully in the path of the dribbler. Any torso to torso contact at that point would be the fault of the dribbler. The lowering of the shoulder just makes it easier to recognize. If the defender had been stepping towards dribbler at the time of contact, the lowering of the should would not be an issue...it would be a defensive foul.

#2. A player can draw a player control fouls (some of which are charges) facing any direction and need not have legal guarding position if stationary. If in motion, they must have LGP which must start (but need not end) with both feet on the floor and facing the opponent and in the path of the opponent. After meeting those creiteria, the player may move laterally, jump, turn, or duck to absorb the contact (but not do so to add to the contact). To establish an initial legal guarding position on an opponent with the ball (a dribbler) the defender need not obtain the position until just before contact. (Note that there is no such thing as being set).

Any player has the right to any spot on the floor, provided she gets there first, and gets there legally. In block/charge situations, the general rule is, see the defense before the contact, and if the defense is legal, and the contact is not incidental, then it's a charge. In your situation, defense is legal if they get to the spot before the dribbler/shooter leaves the floor for a pass or shot. If the defender is just standing there talking to her little sister, and the dribbler/shooter plows the defender, it's a charge every time, regardless of who is facing which way, who is secondary or primary, or which part of the body takes contact. If the dfender is moving toward the spot, whether sideways or forward, when the dribbler/shooter leaves the floor, then its a block. If the defender was at the spot in time, but then moves backward, it's still legal as long as backward means away from the dribbler/shooter.

These are general rules for what to look for with a secondary defender, especially if you're not a ref or are a new ref. An experienced ref should be able to keep track of two defenders, and determine the block/charge based on the movement and LGP of the defense.

When my wife saw this post, she agreed wholeheartedly. Of course, she thought you were talking about the half-yearly sale at Nordstrom.