Crazy ending
 

From the Chicago Sun Times...Crazy Ending!

Would you handle any differently??

The play that infuriated Coach Mattucci was a bizarre free-throw violation against Zion’s Sam Rodriguez after she hit the first of two free throws to give her team a 39-37 lead.

The ref handed Rodriguez the ball for the second shot, while Zion coaches called out for a timeout. Rodriguez thought the timeout was given and walked over the free-throw line to flip the ball to the ref under the basket and head to the bench.

The refs, who hadn’t granted the timeout, called an over-the-line, free-throw violation and gave Warren the ball.

That call still looked to be irrelevant when Rodriguez stole the insuing pass and dribbled out the clock.

That’s when chaos ensued.

After the horn sounded to end the fourth quarter, Warren team were walking off the court two-point losers when a technical foul was called on Z-B assistant coach Frank Mattucci for arguing a call that originally was made when there 8.5 seconds left in the gameMattucci went immediately to the ref and the resulting “discussion” led to him getting T’d up.Player hit the 2 tech free throws to tie it and force OT. Warren won it on two free throws by Jessica Prince, one free throw by Kristen O’Brien and one free throw by Alyssa Phillips — the last with 2.2 seconds left.

“We wanted a timeout (at the end of the fourth quarter) to set up the defense,” said Mattucci. “It’s simple basketball.

“He (the ref) doesn’t give us the timeout, and then they take the free throw away from Sam.

“Then, our kids still defended Warren, Sam steals the ball and we win 39-37. I’m livid for our kids. They didn’t play a great game but they played well enough to beat a good team.

Well it was the players fault for not playing to the whistle here. Based on the situation as described it seems the officials didn't do anything wrong.

So this team has the game won, then the team's coach decides to berate the officials for some call that no longer matters because the game is over and his team has won by 2? Then he gets T'd up (and I'd have to imagine that if he did get whacked after the horn, he certainly deserved it), and the resulting FT shots send the game to OT and his team subsequently loses?

Sounds like this coach should've known better and known when to STFU.

I'd like to see the video to know why they were still on the court

Here's the problem. :D

Sounds fairly straight forward - Zion requested timeout; it wasn't granted. Shooter committed a violation.

Thanks for the laugh to start my day LOL

Is it possible the TO request was made by ASSISTANT coaches and, therefore, not granted? Nothing in the post saying HC requested it. Sounds like the officials have solid rules standing all around on this one.

Instead of finding a reason to defend the officials, I'll say this:

I can't imagine calling a FT violation here *unless* I didn't hear the timeout request.

And agree with Snaq: I don't know how someone is getting a technical with them getting my back as I'm quickly leaving the court.

Sometimes one can be right and yet be very, very wrong.

1) It's possible it was requested (well) after the shooter had the ball. It can't be granted then, and if the shooter violates you have to enforce it -- otherwise the team gets an advantage (the TO, plus still getting to shoot the FT). That said, if I wasn't going to grant it, I'd try to say so aloud to prevent the violation.

2) I've had a coach block my path to the exit before. Too bad, that made it his second T and then he had to sit a game. ;)

bob, on #1, if the shooter's head coach requests it, it can be granted.

#2, that's why I'd like to see the video, to see if the officials were lingering or if the coach made a heroic effort to lose the game.

D'oh. I was thinking the defense.

1000 lashes with a wet rules book page.

That's the only rationale I have. Beyond that, shame on the A/C for berating the official. That's a hard way to learn that rule.

By the way, Rook, can you post a link to this? I'm having difficulty believing it was written by a Chicago Sun Times writer. It looks more like a forum item. Was it?

That's what I'm thinking....why didn't they grant the timeout?