Late technical foul
 

I was working a second round boys game last night. We're in overtime with 1:15 left and the visiting team just scored to cut the home team's lead to two. We go to the other end of the floor, and one of the visiting team's guards tries to steal the ball and fouls the ball handler. I called the foul, we're in the bonus (1-1).

After I call the foul and am heading to the table, the player who committed the foul double backed, walked past me, shouted something out, made a gesture and continued with another gesture after I passed him. Without even giving it much thought, I called a technical foul. It was only after I called the technical and we were heading to the free throw line that I realized that he's the one who came to me from across the court late in regulation after a foul and asked me if that wasn't really my partner's call, to which I told him, "Get out of here."

The player who was fouled sank all 4 free throws and they then hit a layup on the ensuing possession. Just like that, it went from 2 to 8 and it was over. The final was an 11 point margin.

Naturally, I did a bit of second guessing of myself in the bar and then I said something to my partner that kinda cleared it up for me: First, I simply reacted to what happened -- I would've just as easily called this a technical foul in the second quarter as I did in overtime. I have to say, the visiting coach took the call about as well as can be expected -- my partner talked to him and told him that knowing me as well as he does, there's no way I'd call a technical foul unless it was warranted, in any situation.

Still, up until the technical foul, I think both teams (sincerely) thought, as did we, that we had called a great game. I don't think that changed with the technical, either, well for the most part, anyway. Even in the article in the paper today the visiting coach references two possessions in the fourth quarter and not the technical as the point where the game swung.

Why is it that I feel a bit sad, then, about how it ended?

Because we hate to see players end a game by being so stupid.

Because you just attended Jurassic's sensitivity training seminars?

Because you're human. Would you have felt better if you passed and his team won? As JR says "you took care of bidness" Sounds like a well deserved T as you describe it.If anyone should fell bad it's the player who lost his cool.

What did your partners think?

Most of us don't do this for the money. We officiate because we love the game of basketball. The player who earned the technical which you issued disrespected the game and helped cause a swing in points that contributed to the outcome. Like most who love the game you would have preferred to see the game play out somewhere other than the free throw line for a technical foul.

You didn't dictate the outcome, you called what deserved to be called. It just didn't play out the way you, the coaches, the other players or the fans deserved.

Exactly what he told the coach. If I called the technical, then it was there. I wouldn't make one up. And BTW, we work 2-person until the third round (regional final) here. To me, it's the #1 reason 3-person hasn't taken off -- if 2-person is good enough for the first two rounds, it certainly is good enough for the regular season.

Like I told my partner over a cold one, I'm not sure if I should be bothered with the thought process on calling it -- like I said to him, I didn't even think about it. He simply tripped my technical trigger and I called it. It was only afterwards I realized that we had a minute or so left in OT and it was the same player from earlier. Even then I simply got the shooter (who shot the 1-1 and the technicals) and got right back to work. I never actually talked to the coach -- my partner did -- and we put it right back into play after the FTs.

You did the right thing. As you said yourself, you simply reacted to the situation. If it would be a technical in the first quarter, then it should be a technical in the last minute. I think most officials would prefer to not have to call a T at that point of the game and wish the players and coaches would just do their job and not force us to make that call. But they are the ones who are responsible for the T. I personally dislike working with guys who won't take care of business.

Good call. Sportsmanship doesn't go away even though the stakes are higher.

I want to start off by saying I respect your posts and advice - you are one of the few that I consistently pay attention to here. I enjoyed your video regarding the phantom 5-second call immensely, even though that was not one of your shiniest moments, I admire that you posted it.

So with that said, I am curious why you think you felt sad about the ending to your game. I agree with everyone else for the most part, and I know that I would feel the same as you had this happened to me. Just very interested to know your thoughts about how you felt afterwards. And if you feel better about it now that you're heard from your peers, or if this is something that will stick with you throughout the off-season. I know I would probably be thinking about it for a long time.

I felt sad because it was truly a great HS basketball game and, rightly or wrongly, the focus in the minds of some (or many) will be on the technical foul and on the officials rather than the game.

It's a weird business we're in. We want to get noticed and appreciated by the right people by doing the right things, but at the same time we try to blend into the background and not be noticed by the rest of the people. 22 years in and I'm still not sure I understand it 100% of the time. But I get to go back out tonight and do it all over again.

Great answer. And if you thought you understood it 100% of the time, I probably wouldn't respect your posts as much. For what it's worth...

Rich must have missed the one where I said "Screw the l'il sh!t. And don't worry about it either. He got exactly what he deserved."

Disagree.

That technical called itself. You just went along for the ride.:)

I had a similar situation at the end of the regular season. Had a great game going, competitive and everything, a kid from a team with only 1 loss called a timeout at the end of the game to prevent from going oob, unfortunately they were out of time outs. I had no choice on the play but to grant the request. I felt terrible about it, but in the end, we just have to call the game in front of us. The players' actions decide the outcome.

I can't tell you how much I respect officials that have the stones to call the T in your situation. It was the right call. I'd work with you anytime if you take care of business like that.

Don't feel bad about the way it ended-based on your post you called what needed to be called! I'd love to have you work my games :D:D:D:D