Did the Refs Blow it Here?
High School Sports, Video March 3rd. 2008, 12:26pm
A reader from South Carolina sent us this link over the weekend that is rather compelling – in what appears to be a fantastic Boys Basketball State championship game, a player hit a 60-foot shot at the buzzer … and referees ruled it no good. There’s no instant replay in high school basketball, and thus, all the refs could do was “talk” about it. If you look at when the ball left the player’s hands, and when the backboard lit up, signaling the end of the game … it probably should have counted. The action heats up around 1:15.
Summerville wins State 4A title (The State)
19 Responses to “Did the Refs Blow it Here?”
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March 3rd, 2008 at 12:29 PM
That is unreal.
I feel sorry for those refs.
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:34 PM
that should’ve counted…what a heartbreaker.
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:35 PM
It’s really hard to tell. If you freeze it with 1:02 to go in the video, the backboard is lit up and the ball is at the player’s head level. But, it’s too grainy to tell if his hands are still on the ball.
I’m guessing this game was on TV if it’s the state title game. Anyone have/seen the actual TV camera footage?
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:36 PM
Read Wright Thompson’s piece (plus the links within the article) on espn.com about this game and the winning team. Really sad stroy. That guy is a great, great writer.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/highschool/columns/story?columnist=thompson_wright&id=3272028&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab4pos1
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:48 PM
That was as close of a bang bang play as you can come to in a basketball game.
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:50 PM
Yeah, i wouldn’t want to have to make that call. great game!!
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:53 PM
is that a picture of the refs from the game? why are they all wearing glasses (or rec specs)? they’re making it too easy for us…
March 3rd, 2008 at 1:02 PM
nah, just a random pic of clumsy refs
March 3rd, 2008 at 1:05 PM
WAY to close to make a definative call in real time. BTW did that crowd seem incredibly large/loud for a High School hoops game?
March 3rd, 2008 at 1:16 PM
i’ve watched it 10 times. i can’t tell. if you forced me to guess, i’d say he didn’t get it off.
March 3rd, 2008 at 1:18 PM
Obviously it was bang-bang. If you are a ref there is no absolute way to tell without replay. In that case you go with common sense…the guy made an F’ing 60 foot shot. Count the damn basket.
March 3rd, 2008 at 1:28 PM
I’m going to say he didn’t get it off either.
@ritty: why should the degree of difficulty matter as to whether to count it or not? What if it was from half court? from the 3-pt line? with his off hand? underhanded?
March 3rd, 2008 at 1:31 PM
Slow day for TBL. He must be struggling with that virus. Not good times.
March 3rd, 2008 at 1:42 PM
Ben – I am saying I don’t think one of the refs could say with absolute certainty that he didn’t get it off. I imagine the refs basically flipped a damn coin while they talked. If that’s the case I think I would take into account the degree of difficulty. How many shots like that have you seen end a championship game?
If one of the refs said, no way he got that shot off, then I agree, it obviously shouldn’t count.
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:01 PM
So if it was a coin flip on whether or not a lay-up was released in time or not, it wouldn’t count, but if it was a 60′ bomb, it would count? I’m not sure why degree of difficulty should mean anything.
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:15 PM
Pretty damn close, but it looks good to me. Try to look past the light on the backboard and the clock. Just watch it and look at the player and listen for the buzzer. Sounds good. Refs shoulda been able to make the call. It happens, but Spartanburg was robbed.
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:32 PM
Did the clock start on time when the FT was missed?
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:21 PM
Its too far away to tell if the ball is in his hand with the backboard lit up but the first time I watched it I thought he didn’t get it off..
March 3rd, 2008 at 6:49 PM
He didn’t get it off. Officials made the right call.