Approval of Final Score

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

All nice but the fundamental element is that the game is over. The state may certainly step in and declare something to be different but none of what you have said cancels the fact that the officials jurisdiction has ended.

Quite true, and precisely why I agreed with this previous post.
The only way that the game officials should return to the court and continue the game is if they have first consulted with someone from the governing authority such as the state association.

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

My opinion on this is that you've approved the official score, which is recorded in the official scorebook. That means you allowed the game to end in a tie. (I don't mean that to be accusatory; it's just the fact. Maybe the scorers screwed you or whatever.) The state association will now decide how/if to break the tie.

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

As for your last citation, that is referring to power outages, fires, tornadoes, riots, and other kinds of external events that cause the game to be stopped. It isn't intended to be used to correct an error by the officials in declaring the wrong final score.

True, but doesn't have to be limited to just those. As the "responsible administrative authorities" aren't the scorer, timer, or on-court game officials, state association could certainly use this rule as a basis for picking up at the start of an extra period, if it so desires.

[rockyroad]

Bottom line is that the scoreboard is NOT the official score, and your (Camron Rust) statement previously that the scoreboard was somehow the official score is 100 percent wrong...

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Bottom line is that the scoreboard is NOT the official score, and your (Camron Rust) statement previously that the scoreboard was somehow the official score is 100 percent wrong...

Then, if the game is over since the officials have left the gym, who won and exactly what did the officials approve? Even if the book ultimately shows something different, the score they approved is what counts.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Then, if the game is over since the officials have left the gym, who won and exactly what did the officials approve? Even if the book ultimately shows something different, the score they approved is what counts.

About three seasons ago, a situation arose in this state which had something to do with the matter under discussion.

Following a contest late in the season and several hours after everyone had departed, the home school AD was tallying up the stats from the scorebook.
Everyone had left the gym thinking that the home team had won the contest by one point. Yet during his calculation, he discovered that the book did not match what had been on the scoreboard. I can't recall exactly how it differed, but both point totals weren't what had been posted and the book definitely had more points for the visiting team!

As the contest had bearing on the playoff seeding, he contacted the state office and reported the matter. He also asked that it award the victory to the visiting team.

I must confess that I can't recall what the final decision of the state office was at this time, but it made an impression on me about the honor of the school AD. I probably still have some emails regarding this situation for which I could search and discern the details.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Then, if the game is over since the officials have left the gym, who won and exactly what did the officials approve? Even if the book ultimately shows something different, the score they approved is what counts.

By rule, the officials approve the official score which is the running points total in the official scorebook. If that score is in fact tied, the officials have committed a major error in approving a tied final score and declaring a game over despite having a tied score.

[OKREF]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

By rule, the officials approve the official score which is the running points total in the official scorebook. If that score is in fact tied, the officials have committed a major error in approving a tied final score and declaring a game over despite having a tied score.

But they didn't know it was tied. In this case they along with everyone thought the visiting team was winning. It was brought to their attention prior to leaving the visual confines of the court. They found out as they were leaving the gym. It isn't on the officials.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by OKREF

But they didn't know it was tied. In this case they along with everyone thought the visiting team was winning. It was brought to their attention prior to leaving the visual confines of the court. They found out as they were leaving the gym. It isn't on the officials.

If they haven't left the visual confines of the court, they have yet to approve the score.

It doesn't actually matter what the officials think the score is. What matters is what the score actually is. I should hope no official ever intentionally approves a tied score as a final score. That's outside of the realm of error and into the realm of dereliction of duty.

[OKREF]

In the OP, the officials checked with the table both books matched and the scoreboard reflected what the books said. When the horn sounded and ended the game the officials looked at the table and nobody said anything. Once they leave the visual confines of the floor the score was 60-59 visitors. Then it says they were leaving the gym and were told the home book was wrong. There is nothing that can be done at this point. Whose to say it didn't get changed after the game was over?

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by OKREF

In the OP, the officials checked with the table both books matched and the scoreboard reflected what the books said. When the horn sounded and ended the game the officials looked at the table and nobody said anything. Once they leave the visual confines of the floor the score was 60-59 visitors. Then it says they were leaving the gym and were told the home book was wrong. There is nothing that can be done at this point. Whose to say it didn't get changed after the game was over?

The OP says the scoreboard was wrong. The home book (assuming there wasn't a designation of some other book as official) cannot be wrong. It's been approved as final. The game ended in error but it's over. Sorry about your luck.

[OKREF]

Originally Posted by ronny mulkey

I have seen this debated several times on this board and I've searched the archives and don't have a definitive answer.


Double overtime game.

At the 30 seconds remaining mark, officials verify everything matches with scoreboard, book and visiting team book.

At horn, officials give thumps up to table and run off court

Scoreboard reflects visiting team 60 home team 59

As officials are leaving gym, home team coach presents home book that indicates score is actually tied 59 all.

Assume there is no mistake in book.

What did we approve when we ran off the floor - scoreboard or book?

What do we do as officials?
Regardless of answer, what should coach do?

Originally Posted by Eastshire

The OP says the scoreboard was wrong. The home book (assuming there wasn't a designation of some other book as official) cannot be wrong. It's been approved as final. The game ended in error but it's over. Sorry about your luck.

No it doesn't. It says at 30 seconds, both, books and the scoreboard match. Assuming nothing changes in the last 30 seconds, when the horn sounds it still is 60-59 visitors.

[Adam]

Why are we trusting the home coach, left alone with the score book following the game, is giving us accurate information? It just seems fishy.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by OKREF

No it doesn't. It says at 30 seconds, both, books and the scoreboard match. Assuming nothing changes in the last 30 seconds, when the horn sounds it still is 60-59 visitors.

You're assuming facts not in evidence, namely that the score at 0:30 was 60-59. That was not stated.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Then, if the game is over since the officials have left the gym, who won and exactly what did the officials approve? Even if the book ultimately shows something different, the score they approved is what counts.

First, as an official I do not care who won or who lost. If you do, that's your problem.

Second, the rule book is clear on what the official score is...and it is not the scoreboard.

Every time something like this has happened, it has been kicked up to the respective State Associations who have handled it however they are going to handle it. But, again, to state something that is clearly 100% wrong by rule is beneath any of us here on this board.

[ronny mulkey]

Originally Posted by Adam

Why are we trusting the home coach, left alone with the score book following the game, is giving us accurate information? It just seems fishy.

Adam,

A good point. But, in our neck of the woods, coaches carry their books from one game to the next. Though never "alone" with these books during the games, there would be no reason for him to not have the book sometime after the game. Your point further illustrates/supports the "jurisdiction ends when you leave the visual confines" mantra.

The coach approached a crew in our association as they were leaving the building minutes after the game (he didn't have the book) and merely asked what was his recourse if the official book was determined to be correct

This happened Tuesday night and we still haven't heard any thing from our state office regarding any inquiry by the host school????

Mulk

[ronny mulkey]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

When I "check the book" I physically look at the "running score" to see what are the last boxes checked on each side. That's the "score I'm approving" and it will be the same as the scoreboard (or we'll find out then why not).

If later it's discovered that the detailed notations don't add up to the running score? Too bad.

Bob,

I verify matches (home book, visiting book, scoreboard) at halftime and some point near the end of a game. If the game is close at the end, I get a thumps up before leaving the visual confines. But I don't actually look at the running scores at all.

Do you think that I should start doing this?