Last night's finish

[Rich]

Worked a boys varsity game in the biggest conference in the area. Last place team (home, they'd won 4 in a row, though) against a team in the middle of the pack.

Home team jumped out 19-3 in the first quarter, tied at 25 at the half. Visiting team went up 7, but the home team tied it and the visitors held it the last minute for a final shot. Ball got knocked out of bounds with 1.2 seconds left. I was the trail opposite and the ball was inbounded on the endline by the lead.

Ball was passed across the court and the center called a shooting foul as time expired. Good call, the timing was right. Two free throws.

I was now the C and I stepped in and reminded my partners that if he hits the first one the game is over.

Cleared the lane, kid hit the first free throw, I hit my whistle and pointed at the table and we left the floor. We got yelled at by some guy at the other end of the floor who told us how horrible the call was -- guy's got great vision 100 feet away. We got "accosted" in the parking lot by a mom who probably had snuck out mid game for a brandy or two. She wasn't vulgar, just stupid. Had a hard time putting a sentence together and then kept saying, "That wasn't a shooting foul!"

We ignored her and kept right on walking. Then she focused on the fact that we were ignoring her. Then the best part: Some of the visiting players started yelling at her from outside the bus and she got into it with them.

I think it's the first time I've had a game end like that - with a free throw with no time on the clock.

We didn't get into the bonus for either team either half. Even after 3 officials showered (one at a time) and dressed, we were still on our way out the door less than 90 minutes after tipoff.