Final score approved?
 

Girls Var game tonight.

Home table was dodgy all night, but when final horn goes off, V wins by 1.
Partner and I head for the exits, stroll down the hall to the locker room, into coaches office and we're doing a quick debrief.

Knock, knock at the door, and its home coach. "Sorry to interrupt, but my scorekeeper just tallied up the score and she shows it to be a tie score."

My partner (the R), starts getting antsy, realizing he didn't wait for the book to tally at the end of the game, and to ensure all was good prior to departing. He wants to leave to check the visitors book, etc.

I tell him that we no longer have any authority over this (that) game. We have left the visual confines and the game is over.

Ultimately he finds the visitor book person and they have the correct and final score, end of story.

My question is this: if what the book says is the official result, if in our sitch the book showed had showed the home team winning, but scoreboard showed visitors winning, and we 'approve the final score' by leaving the visual confines... which score have we approved?:confused:

What did the running score read in the official book? Doesn't matter how many points are in the individual player counts. Pregame with the book, make sure to record the running score first.

I don't have any information..
 

... about specifics tonight.

Running score is 51, but then scorer totals up the individuals and get 53... out of luck?

It's Too Late Baby Now It's Too Late (Carole King)
 

NFHS 2-2-4:The jurisdiction of the officials' is terminated and the final score has been approved when all officials leave the visual confines of the playing area.

I another part of our state, we had an official come back out onto the court from the locker room to adjust the book a few years ago. His blunder not only made the local sports pages, it made the sports pages of all the papers in the entire state.

bMac... and the score is....
 

what is on the scoreboard?

Here's another game management point for newer refs: talk to the table. If you have a timeout close to the end of the game, one of the refs should check with the table to make sure everyone matches up and agrees with the scoreboard. I will do this throughout the game whenever I pass by the table on a dead ball (after timeouts or start of quarter when going to C table side). Always nice to catch these as soon as you can. After the game, a quick nod to the book or clock operator should be all that is needed before getting outta dodge.

Fans usually keep a good eye on the scoreboard. Whatever it says when the horn blows is good enough for me. No way I'm sticking around to see if the book is correct.

No. The official score is the running score in the official book, period.

It makes no difference what the scorer adds up the individual scores to be later.

Nor should you. But as the referee, you should check with the official scorer during a dead ball in the last minute of so of the game.

During close games, which is the only time you have to concern yourself with this happening, there's always a timeout. Go to the table and verify that they have it right.

Classic case of why the table personnel is VERY IMPORTANT during the game. Most HS Varsity games have very good tables in my area. In fact, in most cases, all levels of HS are very good.

As has been mentioned by others already, it is important that the home book's RUNNING SCORE matches the SCOREBOARD. If I have a questionable home scorer, I will strongly encourage the visitor's scorer to keep very close tabs on running score/fouls.

There should be NO TABULATING of the scores. It is as simple as looking at the H running score and the V running score. End of story. The other information is for the media and for the coaches.

In the OP the scorer's running score apparently matched the scoreboard. What if it didn't? If the running score indicated the game was tied, but the scoreboard indicated a winner and we left the confines of the court, would we go back out and play an O/T after being informed (in the locker room) of the discrepancy?

Why would you leave the gym without consulting the scorer as required by rule?

No, you would not go back out. you would take your lumps for screwing up.

That is my takeaway.
 

Added to pregame: in a close game, R will speak with official scorekeeper during the final minute(s) and ensure that the running score in the book matches the scoreboard. Also discuss the discreet signal for 'all good' that we will exchange as officials 'get out of Dodge'.