Wrong ball in WCC semi?

[Nevadaref]

The Gonzaga-USF men’s WCC semi was just halted with 18:31 on the clock in the first half and the crew swapped out the game ball.
Did they perhaps begin with a women’s ball from the earlier games in that same building? That would be embarrassing.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

The Gonzaga-USF men’s WCC semi was just halted with 18:31 on the clock in the first half and the crew swapped out the game ball.
Did they perhaps begin with a women’s ball from the earlier games in that same building? That would be embarrassing.

Happens easier than some think. For one if you do not work girls or women's games ever, you might not automatically notice. It almost happened to me in a game, but I caught it right before the tip. I looked at the ball and then asked a partner. He confirmed the ball was a woman's ball and we exchanged the ball. I am lucky if I work a single girl's game the entire year. So it can happen.

Peace

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

That would be embarrassing.

[BillyMac]

The first year the NFHS went with a girls ball, we had a highly respected official accidentally (some might say carelessly) use a girl's ball in a boy's high school varsity game. The error was brought to the crew's attention at the first free throw.

The legend of "The Girl's Ball In A Guy's Game" lasted over thirty years. We were still talking about it at the official's wake.

This past past season I worked a boy/girls middle school doubleheader. Between the games I told my young partner the story of "The Girl's Ball In A Guy's Game".

He responded, "Boys and girls used to use the same size ball?".

I wanted to yell at him to get off my front lawn, but we were in a gym.

[SC Official]

Serious question for the mods...

Have the rules gotten more lax on this forum? There was a time when pointless threads and posts made for no reason other than to play "gotcha" at higher-level officials would be deleted. Now it seems I'm seeing way more content that would have been deleted in the past.

I've seen multiple threads with certain posters basically calling for the heads of higher-level officials making mistakes, and this stupid thread just seems to be an attempt to call attention to a possible mistake without an opinion about how we could learn from it. And as far as I've noticed, those posts haven't been thrown out or posters reprimanded.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by SC Official

... to play "gotcha" at higher-level officials would be deleted ... without an opinion about how we could learn from it.

My post, The Legend Of The Girl's Ball In A Guy's Game, was posted with great respect for my unfortunate late colleague. After the incident he officiated several more state finals, was a mentor to many officials, including myself, and was still considered one of our best officials. But we all loved "yanking his chain" for his one unfortunate indiscretion.

And there is a lesson to be learned from this thread, take a close look at the ball before the game starts, maybe it's got a blemish on the surface, is under/over inflated, or is for a different gender, etc.

Forty years ago my local board donated its services to a high school basketball tournament that benefited scholarships. It was held in (at the time) the Hartford Civic Center (NHL Whalers hockey, NBA Celtics preseason, NCAA UCONN men and women basketball). For most of us it was our first game in such a large, expansive, bright facility, almost a little imposing, perhaps even a little intimidating.

First game at the site, one of our highly respected officials went to report the first foul of the game and he reported it to the press table, on the side of the court opposite the scorer's table. We had a large contingent of officials in the stands and we were all on the floor laughing our heads off. And thus began the legend of "Reporting To The Press Table". After the incident he officiated several more state finals, was a mentor to many officials, including myself, and was still considered one of our best officials. But we all loved "yanking his chain" for his one unfortunate indiscretion.

He retired from officiating many, many years ago. Saw him at a wake a few weeks ago and we talked about the legend and he laughed about it, and seemed to be pleased that we all still remember him.

It's not mean spirited, it's all about camaraderie and respect (and don't let it happen to you).

I don't "yank the chain" of officials that I don't respect. Probably true for many of us.

[Nevadaref]

In Nevada and California the State Championship games are played at one site with the contests alternating between boys and girls teams. It is important to check that you have the correct ball prior to the start of each contest.
This is precisely what could have happened in the WCC tourney at the Orleans arena in Vegas as two women’s games were followed by two men’s games.