Player not reporting in before entering the game

[daveg144]

Last night we had a strange situation that I'd like to prevent in the future, but I am not sure how we can.

23 seconds left in the game. The score is A-41 B-34. B is the VISITING team. Boys JV game (2 officials). A1 is fouled and goes to the line for 2 shots (double bonus). I am the trail and I see 2 players for A go to the table to substitute after the first free throw. Free throw goes in, table sounds the horn and I beckon the players onto the court. I step forward (towards the foul line) and raise my hand to make sure we don't administer the ball to the shooter until the substituted players are off the court. I then return to my spot for the second shot.

At this point, the scorer hits the buzzer and motions me over to the table. I get there and he says, "Number 40 never checked into the game." I asked him about the other substitute and he said he DID check in. The home coach hears this going on and says it's a technical foul. My partner comes over and I explain the situation to him. We agree that it's a techical foul (although we both feel it's a cheap shot by the HOME scorekeeper to try and steal some points). I explained the situation to the visiting coach and he was not happy at all. He then asked his player if he checked in and he said he did not. I should say that there is a large X on the floor in front of the official scorer.

B made both free throws and scored (after inbounding the ball). In the end, A won the game by 5 points.

After the game, I discussed the situation with the varsity officials. They asked if I could have motioned A #40 back off the court to report in. I told them I had no knowledge that he did NOT report when I waved him onto the court. When I see a player rush into the game and just sort of "wave" at the scorer, I'll tell them to go back and report (or often, the scorer will wave and say they got the player checked in).

Should I ask players if they are properly checked in? What's to say an official scorer could say a player didn't check in when in fact they DID check in (not likely, I know)? I still feel it's a cheap move to pick up points when it's pretty obvious your team is going to lose the game. If the home team would have been up by 15 points, I doubt that it would have been an issue.

Your thoughts? By the way, these teams are not rivals and are from two different cities (separated by at least 40 miles). Varsity game was a blowout for the home team.