Spectator interference at a critical point

[Corndog89]

I posted this a few months ago, but it bears repeating on this thread.

I was calling a boys varsity game between two good teams (visitors went to the FL 4A state final four that year) in a cramped, packed small town Florida gym 4 years ago. Game management was usually hard to find in most of these gyms and this one was no exception.

Visiting team brings the ball in to start the 2nd half, swings it around the top to their best player (A1) in the corner who shoots a 3-pointer next to their bench. I'm C on that side standing right next to their coach. As A1 elevates, two kids about 8-9 years old come running in from the lobby across the corner of the floor right in front of and kind of up and under the shooter and then straight into the stands. There were no defensive players within 5-6 feet of A1. I wasn't sure what to do, but I didn't want to blow the whistle as he was going up for his shot and possibly deny him a 3-pointer. He missed the shot but his team got the rebound. As they took the ball back out top to set up their next play, the coach (a very good coach who focused much more on coaching than on ref-baiting) just looked at me in disbelief and asked what I was going to do. I told him I didn't want to deny the shot, and besides, I wasn't sure what to do. He actually said he had no idea either, and since his team got the rebound he seemed happy and let it go.

Are small town gyms the best or what?