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Last year at a camp with very high level U-16 boys players, second game in the "elimination" round (early Sunday afternoon). A local team has managed to survive and now must face an undefeated team from out of state. Local team has about 7-8 players, out of state team has about 12.
We have a "bad apple" on the local team. Commits stupid fouls, argues with teammates and coach (nothing too bad towards the officials, just a moan here and there). One time when he's getting upset, I advise his coach that he may want to sub him out to avoid a problem. Coach is cool, and takes him out until the end of the half.
Out of state team gradually pulls ahead in 2nd half. With about 5 minutes to go in the game (by now, it's about a 25 point lead for the out of staters) our "bad apple" commits a hard foul on a fast break. As the T, it's not in my primary, but I immediately come up with an intentional foul. The lead looks at me and agrees. I report the foul and line up to shoot. As I'm standing on the court, I hear the crowd yelling. The bad apple walks right up toward the crowd (under the basket) and is cussing and yelling at someone.
We blow the whistle and I go to him and escort him back towards his bench. As I'm doing this, two people in the crowd start yelling at each other (full blown cussing like druken sailors). We get all the kids off the court (toward the other end of the floor). By now the two people are ready to fight (did I mention that one is a woman? bad apple's mom). I go look for some security because I'm thinking someone's going to go postal and whip out a gun! After a few minutes, security shows up and escorts the two combatants out of the building.
We resume the game and finish without further incident ("bad apple" remains on the bench). After the game, the clinicians on the court gave us all very high marks! One said, "anyone can ref an easy game, but not everyone can handle a mess like this." A week later the guy that runs the tournament picked me up for the next season.
Ugly deal, but it worked out okay in the end!
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