By Clarence Woody, Clinician
What is a screen? A screen is a legal action by a player without causing contact that delays or prevents an opponent from reaching a desired position. Remember a screener can face in any direction. Also, the screener cannot impede the progress of an opponent. The player with the ball may be a screener as well. Defenders of the screener may not push through the screen. There is one situation where the defender can make inadvertent contact.
2 Types of Screens
- Screening a stationary opponent.
Visible or outside the visual field?
Requirement:
- Visible: the screener may get as close as they want to their opponent, short of contact.
- Outside the field: the screener must give his/her opponent one step backwards.
Note: The opponent could make contact and the contact could be severe. If the opponent does not dislodge the screener, it is ruled as inadvertent contact.
- Screening a moving opponent.
The screener must give their opponent one to two strides depending upon the speed and movement of their opponent. Judgement is involved in this situation.
Where do illegal screens occur?
- across the lane
- at the "elbows"
- middle of the "open court" press scenarios