Q from 1st Year: Trouble with the Scorer
 

JV Boys game. Kid doing the official book is not the sharpest tool in the shed.
Partner and I have both noticed sometimes he's not even looking at us when we go to report..

I am R and have been checking the book during the game. When I had this kid a couple of weeks ago I taught him how keeping a running score was really important.

Anyways, 4th quarter, game is pretty close, I report foul on player A1. Kid responds with "5 on A1". Opponents book says, "well then, we have a problem, I only have him with 3 fouls".

I go to home book and ask him to count total fouls, they match up.

Team A coach says the guy doing his book has done it for 3 years without a mistake.

Hrm. I believe my knuckleheaded official scorer has made an error, but I didn't think that I had any options.

I tell Team A coach that I have to go with official book, need a replacement player for DQ'd A1. Tell Team A scorer to sit with official scorer to avoid discrepancies.

Question: Did I have any option other than going with official book?

During the game I had asked official book if running score in book matched scoreboard and whether team fouls on the scoreboard were correct. At least once I asked Team A book if we were all matched up (even though I just did that as a courtesy).

Both scorers need to sit together to start.

They should check and make sure things are accurate.

Did you look to see where the discrepancy was?
1) Team fouls vs player fouls that half.?
2) What did visitor book have for team fouls and player fouls?
3) did they match? and where were the diferences?
4) Do you remember calling 5 fouls on the player?

Try and sort it out... before you go with the home book...

You can have the book person add up all the individual fouls and see if they equal the total team fouls. Sometimes that will uncover where a problem lies.

Also somewhere in the third quarter I'll often take advantage of a TO to see if there are any players with three or four fouls. Then when they get their fifth, I know it was right at the 3 or 4 mark.

Having the score people sit together is the best.

"Warning, Warning, Will Robinson"
 

Watch out. Here it comes!!