[camaulds]

OK...Here's what happened.

I was the trail on the FT shot...The Team B player continued to wave his arms repeatedly starting below his waist and ending above his head even after the Team A player was releasing the ball...It was the most extreme example of this violation I had ever seen at any level...As there were no other Team A players at the FT area, there was 3 team B players opposite me, table side...As the shot hit the rim the Team B players converged on the rebound...I put my fist out for the delayed call and waited for my partner to have a chance to get it (Mechanically it was his guy to get)...When he didn't blow it I stepped in and told him I had a violation...Instead my partner had awarded a T/O to Team B...Both teams headed to their bench.

My partner hated the call...I explained the call to the Team B coach and told him there would be no T/O and there would be repeat of the second FT...Of course the kid hits the FT to give his team a 4 point lead...That was the final as team A didn't even defend the 3 point brick that B threw up.

My partner felt that I did not allow the kids to settle the game on the court...I feel just the opposite...Just because a score is close in the last 2 minutes doesn't mean we should give both teams carte blanche to do whatever they want in the name of allowing them settle it on the floor.

The next day's paper quoted the losing coach as saying he had never heard of such a rule...This was no surprise at all...Meanwhile, in subsequent days, my partner has been trashing me to any Official who would listen...Several of them have called me to tell me so...I was stunned by this turn of events...A coach not knowing the rules?...Very believable...My partner embelishing the truth and trashing me to other Officials?...Unconscionable!...Unfathomable!

It is my considered opinion that if it was a foul/violation in the first period, it should be with 7.2 seconds left in the 4th as well...It is my considered theory that you Officiate the game until the end.

Sadly, not everyone feels as I do...Thank you for your unbiased opinions...While 3 Officials who were looking on in the crowd supported the call and several have called to agree, they are still people I know and work games with...Were they just being a friend or did they really feel that way?

Thank God for the eyewitnesses...I have told anyone who wants to, to ask for their opinion...They know the rules and have called the games...Ask them what really happened.

I have gotten honest opinions from those who responded...You don't know me, haven't worked with me and have no reason to agree with me if you really don't feel that way...You can't know how much I have appreciated knowing others truly feel as I do and would have done as I did.

In my heart I knew I did the right thing and given the same set of circumstances, would make the same call again.