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How many of you have seen a State Title game start with a technical foul? It happened out here on Saturday. For the Girls 2A, I was keeping the book.
The line-ups for these games are submitted on cards at halftime of the previous game, so there aren't any problems with the ten-minute mark.
But...
About 30 seconds prior to the tip the coach for Green comes to the table and says, "I know I have a wrong number. So I'll just take the T now."
I asked him if she was going to play and he said that she was a starter. I let the official know the situation and sure enough he had a #23 take the court for the opening tip, and didn't have one listed on his line-up (she was down as #10), so they charged the team technical, shot the free throws, and we never had a jump ball. Funny start to a championship game!
It almost cost them, but ended well though, as one of the two technical free throws was successful and then White missed three shots from close range in the last ten seconds while trailing 51-50. After getting the rebound green was fouled with .2 seconds remaining and made both for a three point win. The coach has been at this for over 20 years and was a class guy the whole game as his daughter netted 33 in the win.
His reason for the wrong number: the girl, a freshman, had lost her jersey and went and got one of the extra ones without telling him! Freshman, what are you going to do with 'em?!?
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