SCREENS / LEGAL AND ILLEGAL

A legal screen is action by a player who, without causing contact, delays or prevents an opponent from reaching a desired position. Screening situations are more difficult to administer than guarding situations. Time and distance are factors that must be considered in each screening situation.

In all situations, except one, when the conditions of time and distance have been met, the one sure guide an official can use is that the screener must be stationary. If the screener is moving when contact between the screener and the player being screener occurs, the screener is guilty of a blocking foul. The only legal moving screen permitted by rule is when the screener is moving exactly the same path and same direction as the player being screened.

If a screen is legally set, a player who is screened from the front or side (within the visual field) must avoid contact with the screener by going around the screener. If the screen is set outside the visual field, such as a “blind” or “rear” screen, the screener must permit the opponent, but not to exceed, one normal step toward the screen without making contact.

Things to remember: 1. A screener may be as close as he/she desires, providing the screener does not make contact when setting the screen from the front or side of a stationary opponent. 2. When a “blind” or “rear” screen is set outside the visual field of a stationary opponent, space for a normal step backward must be given the screened player. 3. In all situations but one, the screener must be stationary. 4. Time and distance must be taken into account when setting screens, never more than two steps when setting a screen on a moving opponent. 5. A legal moving screen may be used when the screener is moving in the same path and same direction as an opponent. 6. Accidental contact by a player being screened while running around the legally set screen is regarded as incidental contact unless the screener has been placed at a disadvantage such as the player being screened runs over the screener with no attempt to stop. 7. A player screened legally from the rear may cause contact and not create a foul. The player who is screened from the rear may cause enough contact and dislodge his/her opponent. This is not a foul on the screened player, so long as the player, upon initial contact, attempts to stop or change direction. The reason for this interpretation is not to have a double jeopardy rule in effect. The screening team has accomplished their objective, and to place the screened player in a double jeopardy situation by calling a foul would be in opposition to the spirit and intent of screening rules and principles. However; if the player being screened contacts the screener and runs through the screener with no attempt to stop, then the official has no choice but to call a foul on the player being screened.

Remember – screening is a fundamental part of the game and all officials must study the principles of screening by studying the rule book as well as case book situations and in doing so will become consistent in calling screening correctly.

F. Howard Mayo, OSAA Basketball State Rules Interpreter