Returning the ball to the scorer's table

[fiasco]

Why do some officials insist on doing this after a heated contest where T's have been given out? This has happened to me on several occasions over the past couple of years. I give out a T to a coach towards the end of the game, and he is still hot and bothered by it when the buzzer sounds. I am wanting to get off the floor and into the locker room before he can confront me about it, but my partner is lollygagging, trying to track down the ball and return it to the scorer's table and thank the nice ladies for what a great job they've done.

I don't want to abandon my partner out there, seeing as though the coach could just as easily confront him on his way to the locker room, and then he's all alone, but I absolutely hate having to stand around waiting for my partner to gather up the stinking ball and open myself up for a needless post-game confrontation.

Thoughts?