Houston We Have A Problem!

[Texas Aggie]

2-2-4 says, "THE final score." There is no final score unless the game has ended (or could end), and the game doesn't ever end in a tie. There's no question that if there is an error in the book that has one team with more points at the end AND the officials leave the confines of the floor the game is over. However, if there is NO error in the book and it indicates the score is tied, the game is not over regardless of what the officials have done. There's no provision for a tied game, unless its declared interrupted or suspended.

So, assuming you have a score book that is correct (tied in points) and a scoreBOARD that is not correct (one team has more), when its pointed out to the officials, the game CAN continue without violating either the provisions of 2-4-4 or the casebook interpretation -- based on the scoring and overtime rules in Rule 5. I don't see anything in the rules that:

1) defines "final" or "final score." Thus, based on Rule 5, you have a tie game which means OT;
2) makes the scoreBOARD score official and the score that the game is left with if the officials leave the court;
3) specifically defines the word, "score," which means we look to the rest of Rule 2, and it is clear that it is the BOOK that determines what the real score is, not the scoreBOARD.

We leave the confines of the playing area at halftime, but the final score is not approved then. 2-2-4 doesn't specifically state at the end of the 4th quarter or at the end of an OT. Thus, it HAS to mean when a final score COULD POSSIBLE be approved, and it can't possibly be approved in the case of a tie.

[Judtech]

Is this a correctable error? It is obviously some type of error, but is it correctable and can it be correct in the time frame that the error was discovered by the officials?
My first thought is that while there is an error, the timeframe in which we are allowed to correct the error ended when the officials left the visual confines of the playing court.
I have a sneaking suspicion that the table crew will be more vigilant in the future.

[jdw3018]

Originally Posted by Judtech

Is this a correctable error? It is obviously some type of error, but is it correctable and can it be correct in the time frame that the error was discovered by the officials?
My first thought is that while there is an error, the timeframe in which we are allowed to correct the error ended when the officials left the visual confines of the playing court.
I have a sneaking suspicion that the table crew will be more vigilant in the future.

No, it's not a correctable error at all, regardless of when it happened.

It is a scoring error that could have been corrected at any point after it happened up until the officials leave the visual confines of the court.

[SCalScoreKeeper]

This should never happen especially if the table crew has worked together for any length of time.In a game like this the timer/board operator and official scorer should be conferring ("_______,does the board score match your book?-is an appropriate question to ask).Also in tight games it is common practice in our area for an official ,while reporting a late game timeout, to come and check timeouts remaining and whether the books (H & V) match!
It also brings to mind the question of scorekeeper training and experience-What percentage of the schools you serve have reasonably experienced scorers and tables? The schools in my league go like this in terms of scorekeeper experience

VG:
Me-4'th season as girls official scorer
A-1'st season
B-1'st season
C-1'st season
D-1'st season back after several off!

VB:
Me-5'th season as boys official scorer
A-1'st season
B-1'st season
C-2'nd season
D-2'nd season

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

There's no question that if there is an error in the book that has one team with more points at the end AND the officials leave the confines of the floor the game is over.

Agree...and while the other points that you made are well-taken, everything else that you wrote is completely irrelevant to the particular situation being discussed.

NFHS rule 2-11-11--"If the discrepancy was in the score and the mistake is not resolved, the referee shall accept the progressive team total totals of the official scorebook. A bookkeeping mistake may be corrected at any time until the referee approves the final score."

NFHS rule 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."

1) Game ended with one team mistakenly ahead in the running score---> check.
2) Referee accepts bookkeeping mistake(wrong running score)---> check.
3) Final (wrong)score approved when both official leave visual confines of the court---> check.

That's all she wrote, podner, rules-wise. The officials' jurisdiction was terminated and by rule they no longer can fix the bookkeeping error.