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?!?

Maybe not the most honest thing to do, but had a similar situation as a player (I was the dummy that lost my jersey). Wasn't the title game, but playoffs, I tell my coach and he asks is there any chance it might have blood anywhere on it. Coach knew I had been scratched during our previous game and I used my jersey to prevent the ref from seeing the blood (wiped it on the inside of the jersey). Told the coach it had been washed, but I didn't know if it stained or not. He ended up telling the official that I changed jersey's due to blood on the jersey. No questions asked - more importantly no T.

Nice move boomer. Now, I can ask to see the blood.

Could easily come back with - "already threw it in the wash and its in the middle of the spin cycle".

Why would you? Why would you WANT to be antagonistic and why wouldn't you want to avoid starting the game with a technical if at all possible?

EDITED TO ADD: I don't condone such an action if it is a ruse for avoiding a technical, but I'm going to take a coach's word on this every time.

[Edited by Rich Fronheiser on Mar 3rd, 2004 at 11:02 AM]

I don't remember if it was last year or the year before, but an NCAA tournament game started with a T for non-submission of rosters. I did a couple quick searches, but can't find the details.

Chuck,
I recall something like that too. I even seem to think that Princeton was playing in that game. I believe the opponent was charged with the T. Try searching their last few NCAA appearances.