Obnoxious Coach

[SMEngmann]

I was working a summer high school tournament (BV level) in a three person crew with two partners who didn't have tons of 3 person experience. During most of the game, coach A acted so politely toward me that it seemed phony, particularly if he had a question about a call. By the end of the game, it became clear that he was trying to work me, as he asked many simple questions that he clearly knew the answer to. Finally, in a close game he tried to argue with me about the number of players that could occupy lane spaces, and he would not accept my answer and delayed the game by calling one of my partners over to confirm the answer (after I'd told him that I was right and didn't need any help). Unfortunately P1 doesn't administer and dutifully comes over and gives the same answer I gave, giving the coach the impression that he could draw a conference when he wanted. Minutes later I'm the C in front of his bench when A1 hits a shot from the elbow to tie the game at the buzzer. Coach immediately tries to convince everyone in the gym that the shot was a 3, although it was plain to see that it was not. He even goes so far as to line up his team to shake hands with the other team. At this point I tell him that we are going to OT and I warned him about his conduct. We played the OT period, during which I overheard when I was L him make a similar comment about a 2 being a 3.

In my opinion, we should have dinged this coach with a T for attempting to influence a decision and just behaving in an unsportsmanlike matter. However, from a practical perspective, we have a tie game going into OT and calling a T for the coach's actions in that situation and we might have needed a security escort. Should the T still be issued, or should we just warn the coach and dismiss him as an annoyance?