I blew it!

[zebraman]

Officiating a JV boys summer league earlier this evening: Great game, with 3 seconds left in the first overtime and coming out of a time-out after Team A had scored to tie it up. Team B has a "run the endline" throw-in and has to go the length of the floor. I remind the scorekeeper to not start the clock until he sees me chop time. I hand the ball to B1 for the throw-in because A1 is pressuring. B1 passed the ball to B2 so I chop time. Then I realize that B2 is out of bounds along the endline and I should not have chopped time. What a rookie mistake! B2 throws to B3 who takes a couple dribbles and the horn goes off before he can launch a long 3-pointer. Everyone stops.

I negotiate a "do-over" and had no problem selling it to both coaches but of course Team B's "surprise play" is now shot to heck and they don't get a shot off on the "do-over." What a bonehead play! Everyone was fine afterwards because it had been a well-played game and great sportsmanship, but I sure beat myself up on the way home. Yeah, Team A won in the second (sudden death) overtime.

A humbled Z