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Recreation League - 7/8 year old boys.
I've had these teams several times this season - it's a jrNBA league, so they take the names and logos of professional teams and use them. #5 of the Lakers had shown horrible sportsmanship the past few weeks which included spiking the ball, trash-talking, disrespectfully adressing an official, amongst others, but they just hadn't been penalized.
During this game, #5 had already spiked the ball in which I gave him a stern warning NOT to do anything unsporting again. About half-way through the 3rd quarter, I'm lead official, and #5 is dribbling the ball down. Because of contact (couldn't make call due to not being able to see exactly what happened), #5 and another player of the opposite team crash to the floor about 5 feet from the top of the 3 point line. He then threatens the opposing player by saying "You'd BETTER quit it." I then blow my whistle and and give him a technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct.
A few plays later, I called him over and I explained to him why I made that call and that he was too good of a basketball player to be saying stuff like that, and that he doesn't need to let that happen again. During a time-out, I also explained to the coach of his team.
It's not any fun calling those. I actually felt bad at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I felt it was the right call to make. What's your opinion?
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