Tough Calls: March 29, 2026
- marisnoviks
- 13 hours ago
- 3 min read
The Tough Calls are sponsored by Fiziocentrs – a well known physiotherapy clinic in Latvia. The videos shown below will help to understand the game, referees and rules.
In Yellow team`s offense, Yellow 44 sets a screen to his teammate`s Yellow 1 defender Black 1. Contact occurred between Yellow 44 and Black 1, Black 1 falls down to the floor. Referees call an illegal screen foul by Yellow 44.
FIBA OBRI 33.7. Screening: Legal and illegal
Screening is an attempt to delay or prevent an opponent without the ball from reaching a desired position on the playing court.
Illegal screening is when the player who is screening an opponent:
Was moving when contact occurred.
Did not give sufficient distance in setting a screen outside the field of vision of a
stationary opponent when contact occurred.
Did not respect the elements of time and distance of an opponent in motion when
contact occurred.
Outcome: Correct decision from the referees. Yellow 44 set an illegal screen, because he moved when contact occurred with defender Black 1. Referees are correct to call a personal offensive foul by Yellow 44.
In White team `s offense, White 47 sets a screen to his teammate`s White 3 defender Black 11. Contact occurred between White 47 and Black 11, Black 11 falls down to the floor. Referees stay without a call, let the game continue
FIBA OBRI 33.7. Screening: Legal and illegal
Screening is an attempt to delay or prevent an opponent without the ball from reaching a desired position on the playing court.
Legal screening is when the player who is screening an opponent:
• Was stationary (inside his cylinder) when contact occurred.
• Had both feet on the floor when contact occurred.
Illegal screening is when the player who is screening an opponent:
Was moving when contact occurred.
Did not give sufficient distance in setting a screen outside the field of vision of a
stationary opponent when contact occurred.
Did not respect the elements of time and distance of an opponent in motion when
contact occurred.
Outcome: Incorrect decision from the referees. White 47 set an illegal screen, because he did not respected the elements of time and distance of an opponent in motion and was outside from his cylinder when contact occurred with defender Black 11. Referees should call a personal offensive foul by White 47.
3. In White team offense, White 3 made a jump shot, while defender Black 0 was trying to contest White 3 shot. After a shot, when White 3 was still in the air, a contact between Black 0 and White 3 occurred. Referees call a foul act of shooting by Black 0.
FIBA OBRI 15.1.1. A shot for a field goal or a free throw is when the ball is held in a player’s hand(s) and is then thrown into the air towards the opponents' basket.
FIBA OBRI 33.3. The legal guarding position extends vertically above him (cylinder) from the floor to the ceiling. He may raise his arms and hands above his head or jump vertically but he must maintain them in a vertical position inside the imaginary cylinder.
A player who has jumped into the air from a place on the playing court has the right to land again at the same place. He has the right to land on another place on the playing court provided that the landing place and the direct path between the take-off and landing place is not already occupied by an opponent(s) at the time of take-off.
FIBA OBRI 34.2.2. If the foul is committed on a player in the act of shooting, that player shall be awarded a number of free throws as follows:
• If the shot released from the field goal area is successful, the goal shall count and, in addition, 1 free throw.
Outcome: correct decision from the referees. Black 0, trying to defend the shot, moved inside a legal White 3 landing place, and touched White 3, while he was in the air. Personal act of shooting foul by Black 0, a basket counts and one free throw awarded for White 3.
Author: Oskars Lucis, ENBL head of referees
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