T or not?

[ReadyToRef]

In tonight's boys varsity game, white had a 8 point lead with the ball and approximately 3 minutes to go. I'm at trail. They shoot. The ball careems to the left where it is rebounded by another player on the white team. A third player on the white team jumps about this time to dunk the rebound in case it comes to him. The ball is clearly long gone. So instead, he dunks air and grabs the rim on his way down. C passes but I whistle. I give a T for grasping the rim with no chance for a play on the ball. The coach of the white team begs for a goaltending call. After the game, the C and I talk. C wonders if I made the best call for game management and if I could have gotten by with a goal tending call. I don't think so because the ball was clearly gone and to me, he clearly grabbed the rim and pulled it down.

I'm just wondering if I handled this correctly or if I should have done something different. Thanks for any advice.

[rainmaker]

I'm not the final expert on play above the rim, but I think goaltending has to include contact with the ball, doesn't it? Basket Interference doesn't, but if the ball is gone when he's got his hands in the cylinder, I don't think BI applies eiether. I think a T sounds good, unless he needed the rim to keep him from hurting someone (including himself). Sounds like showboating.

[ReadyToRef]

Didn't need the rim to break his fall, there was no one under him. I think just a foolish play at the wrong time of the game. The C, who is much more experienced than me wanted another call but I couldn't justify anything else.

[BktBallRef]

Sounds like you made the correct call to me. As Brad stated in another thread, it's amazing how many officials are unwilling to bang the obvious T.

[Nevadaref]

Rainmaker is also correct. I think your partner was a bit confused about the difference between goaltending and basket interference, or perhaps he was just imprecise with his terminology.
That said, I agree with you that this play is neither one and could only be a T.