That's what I was initially thinking, but notice that, when one official reports the foul to the table, we don't see any numbers indicated. He only pointed toward the bench. That tells me it was either against a coach, bench, or team.

We first heard the whistle at 1:25:02, so if it was on the coach, it could have been several seconds into his "tirade." Or, it could have been on the team for an unsporting demonstration.

Whatever the case, I'm quite certain it wasn't for "excessive celebration." One beautiful thing about basketball is that I've never seen those words in the rule book (unlike other sports). Celebration is positive; taunting is negative, and the T-able offense.

Agree. I doubt it was on #23 or any other individual player for the same reason you mention....no numbers were reported. My "guess" is that it was on the coach for the tirade that appeared to be begin 1:24:54 and probably continued after the camera panned away.

IIRC (I've not rewatched the video) one official (the one that was near the coach) was offscreen at the time of the whistle while the other two were onscreen and didn't appear to be blowing their whistle. The official that was offscreen then appears to talk with another official (possibly the R) who subsequently reports the T.


Celebration "could" be considered taunting if done in the other team's face or at their bench when they had no reason to be near the other team's bench.

I have to admit I was skeptical of Nevada's comment that the celebration could have been the T, but after watching the video, I know what he means. It was almost like they ran across the court just to celebrate in the face of the white team.

More likely, though, it was something the coach said after the shot went in, thinking he had a free shot after the game was over. #23 should have been popped, too, IMO.

True, but then I just call it "taunting."

I try to stay away from "excessive celebration," because it's not in the NFHS rule book, and there's no specific penalty against that, unlike in soccer (NFHS: "excessive or prolonged act(s) which a player attempts to focus attention upon himself...") or the NFL/college football. I'm only assuming that such a rule exists in NFHS football, too.

That's why I say "celebration is positive; taunting is negative." It makes the whole thing easier to distinguish.

Padgett-you are right that the guy evidently does not know the official's jurisdiction rule.I now understand why you came up with the name "Howler Monkey" for coaches.

I applaud the officials for finishing the game until they had left the visual confines. The team in green was classless in their post-game antics. Well deserved 'T' IMO.