Fouls - 3 questions

[Shogun]

Hey folks,

Please help settle a couple of playground arguments:

- What are the restrictions on "establishing a position" when the dribbler cannot avoid contact? I understand the "full stride" idea is a myth; i.e., the defender need not plant himself a "full step" in front of the dribbler. But doesn't the defender have to give the dribbler reasonable time to stop? On offense, you have to be "in control of your body", but no one can stop on a dime. So if you're running full speed (with the ball) in a straight line, and a defender leaps in your path and "plants himself"--he's stationary when contact is made--surely that's a defensive foul, even if it's 2 or even 3 steps in front, if the dribbler can't change his direction in time?

- What if, in the above scenario, neither player has the ball?

- What are the criteria for when positioning is "boxing out" versus an illegal screen? I play with a guy who will try a kind of football-style "pass block" to keep you out of the key-- he says it's "just like boxing out", so you can move around while making contact. Does the defender have to be facing the basket? Does it have to be in anticipation of an imminent shot? Does it have to be within a certain distance of the basket?

Thanks!