It’s March Madness and the Gortat Screen has been in high demand. Is it a moving screen, or is it freedom of movement? Whatever the interpretation, the Gortat Screen seem indefensible when deployed.
This was a popularized concept nearly a decade ago that in my observation has been largely dormant from a coaching standpoint in the last few years. So having seen a handful teams during the conference tournament and opening rounds of the NCAA tournament finding multiple ways to Gortat screen gave copy/paste vibes.
But this is a safe space; we can all agree the majority of the time it is an illegal screen, right?
Paraphrasing the NCAA guidelines, but a legal screen must include the following:
- Stationary
- Allow Time & Distance to Avoid
- May Not Use Arms, Hips, or Shoulders
Even if the Gortat screen – albeit rarely – is stationary and allows enough time for the defender to avoid contact, there is zero chance that same roller doesn’t use their arms, hips, or shoulders to continue screening. While most Gortat screens occur on a halfcourt following a ballscreen, one of the most effective ways to screen and seal happens during transition. If a rim runner gets ahead of the ball, instead spacing away they will hunt the rim-protecting defender shielding an open angle for the balhandler to score.
The videos above offered different examples of how Gortat screens can be integrated into an offense. Most often, you’ll see high ballscreen situations versus drop coverages. Something I might look to steal is twisting the ballscreen against hard hedges. Flipping the screen already mitigates disruption on the ballhandler to free up more space to become a playmaker. Then add the layer of roll to the rim, read the secondary defender, and remove the rim protection is a great way of turning blitzing or hard hedge defending defenses into a drop coverage.
As long as the Gortat screen is legal, it can be lethal for effective ballhandler to navigate the short-scoring area. Keep an eye out during the rest of the tournament for innovative ways teams incorporate it in their system.
Coach's Climb 