Bang-bang, steal or block?

[bainsey]

A-1 is dribbling near the right sideline, with nobody in front of him. Speedy little B-2 comes in at an angle, gets in front of A-1 for a split second and knocks the ball away an instant before A-1 runs into him. B-2 never gained LGP, as he's facing the sideline, so PCF is off the table.

Blocking foul, incidental contact, or HTBT?

[Adam]

Looks like a screening foul to me.

[Camron Rust]

Could be nothing, could be a foul. HTBT.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by bainsey

A-1 is dribbling near the right sideline, with nobody in front of him. Speedy little B-2 comes in at an angle, gets in front of A-1 for a split second and knocks the ball away an instant before A-1 runs into him. B-2 never gained LGP, as he's facing the sideline, so PCF is off the table.

Blocking foul, incidental contact, or HTBT?

Plus, since the ball was knocked away, there can't be a PCF. Could still be a TCF, though.

In general on this, I would lean to "nothing", but I agree with Camron that it's HTBT.

[Nevadaref]

If the dribbler is staying in one place, screening and guarding would not apply. Could simply be a situation of a player legally obtaining a spot on the floor. He has the right to be there without being displaced through contact from an opponent.

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by bainsey

A-1 is dribbling near the right sideline, with nobody in front of him. Speedy little B-2 comes in at an angle, gets in front of A-1 for a split second and knocks the ball away an instant before A-1 runs into him. B-2 never gained LGP, as he's facing the sideline, so PCF is off the table.

Blocking foul, incidental contact, or HTBT?

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

If the dribbler is staying in one place, screening and guarding would not apply. Could simply be a situation of a player legally obtaining a spot on the floor. He has the right to be there without being displaced through contact from an opponent.

I don't think he was staying in one place.

[bainsey]

B-2 certainly got to the spot first, albeit for a split-second, but wasn't facing A-1, and never had two feet on the floor (just one, running the whole time), so there was no LGP.

[Nevadaref]

No time or distance is required for guarding a moving opponent with the ball, however the defender must get two feet on the floor and be facing the opponent prior to contact.
Therefore, I would deem this to be illegal by the defender and penalize with a block.

PS in my earlier post I was envisioning a stationary dribbler who had the ball get knocked away and then the contact was due to A1 running into B1 while going for the loose ball. That's a foul by A1 or incidental contact.