Approval of Final Score

[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.

[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.

[MD Longhorn]

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.

When you "approve the score", you approve that the BOOK has the correct score (and, I guess, for the OP ... that the game is actually over!). If the game is over since the officials have left the gym, then the team with more points in the BOOK (and not the pretty lights or what happens to be in the officials' heads) is what matters. The book, by definition, cannot "show something different" than the score approved because it IS the score that was (or should have been) approved.

Nodding at the scorekeeper or making eye contact is NOT approving the score.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

When you "approve the score", you approve that the BOOK has the correct score (and, I guess, for the OP ... that the game is actually over!). If the game is over since the officials have left the gym, then the team with more points in the BOOK (and not the pretty lights or what happens to be in the officials' heads) is what matters. The book, by definition, cannot "show something different" than the score approved because it IS the score that was (or should have been) approved.

Nodding at the scorekeeper or making eye contact is NOT approving the score.

When you check with the scorer as you leave the floor with the board showing 54-55, you're asking them if they have the same....when they indicate they don't have anything different, that is what you've approved.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

When you check with the scorer as you leave the floor with the board showing 54-55, you're asking them if they have the same....when they indicate they don't have anything different, that is what you've approved.

Wrong again...

The score board has nothing to do with the official score and you know it.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

When you check with the scorer as you leave the floor with the board showing 54-55, you're asking them if they have the same....when they indicate they don't have anything different, that is what you've approved.

You keep going back to the pretty lights.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

You keep going back to the pretty lights.

No. I'm going by the fact that the scorer has indicated that they have the same thing as the pretty lights. If they later, after the officials leave the floor, determine that they made a mistake, it can't be corrected.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

No. I'm going by the fact that the scorer has indicated that they have the same thing as the pretty lights. If they later, after the officials leave the floor, determine that they made a mistake, it can't be corrected.

So since "it can't be corrected," what do you wish to now let stand--what the scorer told/indicated to the officials or what was actually written down in the official book by the scorer?