You be the referee and make the call in the controversial ending to the Milton-Norcross playoff game
We have video of the the final seconds to the controversial ending to the Milton-Norcross game from Saturday’s Class AAAAA quarterfinals.
Let’s set up the scene: Norcross was winning by a point with 10.2 seconds left in regulation. Milton drove down the court and missed two shots, and Norcross celebrates as if it has won. However, a referee determined that Milton’s Julian Royal was fouled while attempting to rebound somewhere around the time of the final buzzer.
You know the rest of the story: Royal makes both foul shots to give Milton the 52-51 win and, more importantly, a berth in the state semifinals.
Loading ...YOU BE THE REF. You’re wearing the striped shirt, and this call has enormous implications, directly affecting the outcome of the state quarterfinals.
How did you see the final seconds? Did the referee make the right call? Or should the referee have the let ‘em play? Please post below and feel free to express your opinion.
Also, to get a full recap of the story, please click on this link for the article.
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122 comments Add your comment
Roy Williams
March 8th, 2010
3:51 pm
A Duke fan talking about fair officiating (DukeFan33)? Let’s flop it out.
Referree Tom
March 8th, 2010
3:52 pm
Actually OMG, the most correct call here would have been the commission of an intentional foul by Blue #25. Royal should have been awarded his 1 + bonus, then 1 second should have been put on the clock and finally Milton shold have been given the ball to inbound.
Nilo Silvan
March 8th, 2010
3:55 pm
I was sitting at the end section where the call was made—he definitely got fouled on his shot attempt before the buzzer sounded. You can’t see him going up with the ball in this view. #25 grabbed Royal’s arm. I agree with the notion that a ref shouldn’t make a call to decide the game, but if there is an obvious foul, they have to call it. They really should have called a foul on the putback attempt before Royal’s. Also, not much earlier, the ref made a terrible call after Norcross’ missed FT and he called a foul on Norcross that set up Milton to take a one point lead.
John
March 8th, 2010
3:59 pm
The player needs to know the situation also. You do not foul when you are in the penalty. The player who missed the shot in the lane was clearly fouled on the way down. SO take your pick
OMG
March 8th, 2010
4:04 pm
Hey, Referree Tom: Now I know you are a fugazi. You are no referee, like your name would suggest. You can’t even spell referee right!
Plus, you said he got tackled?! LOL, I sure missed that in the video. There is no camera angle that could possibly make that look like a tackle.
As for it being an intentional. Wow. There has to be a foul first for there to be an intentional.
Hey Nilo, your selective memory is comical. Royal was going up with ball? LOL. If that even happened (the video is conclusive, your memory is questionable at best), it was after the buzzer. Look at Royal with 0.0 on the clock. Not even close to going up.
OMG
March 8th, 2010
4:08 pm
Holy $hit, look at the freeze frame with 0.0 on the clock: there is a Norcross player between the “supposed” foul and the ref! Unless the ref has x-ray vision, how did he even see the “foul” (if there really was one)?
What a joke. And a travesty. But who cares I guess. The Russians deserved that Gold medal against the USA in 1972, huh. LOL.
OMG
March 8th, 2010
4:13 pm
No, I don’t and didn’t attend Norcross. Don’t even live in Norcross. Don’t really care who won. But I will say that a travesty like this bothers me.
Just like when the USSR got the gold medal against the USA in 1972. A travesty just like this one.
I guess I’ll take the USSR’s advice to America in 1972: I’ll stop whining about it.
WW
March 8th, 2010
4:18 pm
You cannot pull the player with the ball backwards away from the net. It looks like there was less than a second on the clock. The clock should have been reset to 0.4 seconds.
m
March 8th, 2010
4:22 pm
Reading these comments makes me worry what kind of education these kids are getting….the ignorance is amazing
Mike
March 8th, 2010
4:22 pm
Good one OMG- 1972 Olympics. If any of you are`old enough to remember that you understand the frustration. we didn’t even accept the silver medal
damail
March 8th, 2010
4:22 pm
Pretty clear…even IF there was a foul…it was after time had expired.
bystander
March 8th, 2010
4:24 pm
I heard from legitimate sources that the coaches are having a meeting about this game because the call is causing such an outrage. This is for sound purpose too, a game should never be conpletly decided by a refs call.
onlooker
March 8th, 2010
4:29 pm
agree 100% with referee Tom, intentional foul, should have been called and dealt with according to the rules……kudos to the kid who made both free throws for the win….that’s clutch.
AllBlue
March 8th, 2010
4:29 pm
There is a meeting or a conference call, but I heard it was for GHSA officials. Maybe there is a second one with coaches. I am being told that there is a lot of pressure to have a significant remedy adopted to correct the situation.
Notcross
March 8th, 2010
4:34 pm
Mikie quick question was there more contact on the over the back with 10.2 sec left the foul that gave you the lead
or the last play where the Norcross players isn’t even going for the ball???
Mike
March 8th, 2010
4:37 pm
irrelevant just like saying that the guy before the final play was fouled. the issue is this play.
Mike
March 8th, 2010
4:39 pm
by the way Shannon scott’s shot was pathetic. In reality he choked. He’s not like his dad who was pretty unbelievable
Walker, Texas Ranger
March 8th, 2010
4:44 pm
Referre Tom apparently is a mind reader and has equipment to upgrade this video where you can actually make crap out
Walker, Texas Ranger
March 8th, 2010
4:45 pm
I will agree that the kid that made the free throws was CLUTCH
The GHSA takes questions about the controversial ending to state playoff game (UPDATED) | Prep Zone: AJC High School Sports
March 8th, 2010
4:48 pm
[...] Related: SEE THE VIDEO. YOU BE THE REF and make the call in the controversial ending to the Milton-Norcross playoff game. Cl… [...]
Chad
March 8th, 2010
4:54 pm
Anyone who says this is a “great call” is either a delusional homer or a fool. If the exact same situation happened in a high profile NCAA game, the controversy would go on for literally days if not more.
You would be hardpressed to find a single collegiate or NBA official that would watch this video and say the call was the correct decision.
Mike
March 8th, 2010
4:56 pm
I think the people who are`saying great call never`played basketball or sports.
Nilo Silvan
March 8th, 2010
5:09 pm
OMG, I saw him catch the ball and start to go immediately back up with the shot when Bolden grabbed his arm. It is very possible that he would not have even got the shot off if he hadn’t been fouled, though. It’s okay if you don’t agree with me. Not many people on here agreeing on much of anything.
I did not see the first half of the Norcross-Milton game, but the 2nd half was very poorly officiated as was the Central Gwinnett-McEachern game. Actually, I think that is what everyone on here can agree with—it was not very well officiated throughout.
Charles Barkley
March 8th, 2010
5:09 pm
Now that was a great call. Right on top of the action. I respect officials that the guts to make the right calls.
al-ref You-blow
March 8th, 2010
5:15 pm
Why have refs if they can not make a call. I saw two fouls they let the first one go and called what it was a foul. wow what a bunch of loosers that blame the strips when they lose. I like how bad defense is always the strips fault. wow let me go do my games and stick it to the wacko’s that yell at the refs…lol
Andre
March 8th, 2010
5:19 pm
Here’s what I saw:
I saw a foul on the second rebound attempt at 0.03 seconds left on the game clock. I also the saw the referee make the call as time expired. There was a foul, and the ref made the right call in this instance.
The only question is whether 0.03 seconds should have been added back to the clock.
middler and so tired of all the rhetoric :
March 8th, 2010
5:22 pm
Don’t expect fairness or justice from GHSA. A previous athletic director from Norcross High has also served on GHSA director. Our daughter, the only cheerleader on a national champion squad, had made the school competition squad. A new coach with one year’s experience on the Freshman cheer squad replaced the experience coach after tryouts. She liked one of the girls who hadn’t made the squad as she didn’t have one of the required skills and asked this girl to be on the competition squad. The girl said she wouldn’t be on unless she got a starting spot so the coach gave her my daughter’s spot as they were both small and fliers. My daughter had all the required skills. We protested and the athletic director said he would investigate. He told me while on speaker phone with other cheerleader listening that he would investigate. Did not hear back and when asked, he said he had to back the coach and had never said he would investigate. After the protest my daughter was bullied by the rest of the coaches. It was so blatant and uncalled for that the athletic director, overhearing one of the coaches tell her she couldn’t cheer with her squad at the dome when they made the playoffs, for a slipped pony tail ribbon, overruled the coach. All the girls involved graduated 7 years ago but still bring up the incident. My daughter was offered a cheerleading scholarship to George Washington Univ. and turned it down and wouldn’t cheer at Auburn. Long story does have a point: kids know what’s fair and what’s not. They aren’t blinded by BS and excuses like we adults often are. And they never forget the pain. This ref had a responsibility to the players to do the best job possible. He blew it. Norcross feels the pain of losing and Milton’s win is tainted!
Jeff
March 8th, 2010
5:37 pm
I don’t have a dog in this fight and could care less who won this game… however, after seeing this video, it’s appalling that any referee would make this call. First, the time seems to clearly expire before the call… notice the clock at 0.00 and all the officials are standing there. Number 2, I don’t see any obvious violation of the rules that kept Milton from scoring or rebounding or winning. And finally, most importantly, it’s a well-known statement around athletics that you let players play at the end of games to determine the outcome, you DO NOT use your whistle to change the outcome. Sure, there was a little contact, but there ALWAYS is in the playoffs and there ALWAYS is in the final seconds of any basketball game.
Had there been a clear rules violation, I agree the call would need to be made… but a very iffy judgement call, especially in high school, well you just don’t do that… you give the team the benefit of the doubt and let the kids on the floor determine the outcome.
I feel bad for the Norcross kids, this is a tough way to end the season. But I hope their coaches and parents remind them that this is a life lesson… sometimes stuff doesn’t go your way.
And I DO agree with the above posts… the GHSA, its policies and officiating are HORRIBLY inconsistent and inadequate and massive changes should be made for the good of the schools, the kids, and the games.
Jose Benzaca
March 8th, 2010
5:44 pm
I don’t know what video you people are watching but the clock runs out before the call. Red light, signifying the buzzer is clearly red before the call is made. Luck to Milton.
Notcross
March 8th, 2010
5:47 pm
so Mikie your saying officials should not be consistent?? good one
Notcross
March 8th, 2010
5:49 pm
Jose the lights and horn are just to tell fools in the stands its time to go to your car the foul clearly is during play
Mike
March 8th, 2010
5:50 pm
has nothing to do with consistency. you point is irrelevant. you can look back at any call and question it
Idiotrefs
March 8th, 2010
6:20 pm
Even worse was the fact the refs would not let Norcross coach call a timeout because time was expired. They were clueless…
Idiotrefs
March 8th, 2010
6:21 pm
Norcross coach wanted a timeout before the free throws were shot and refs would not let him. Learn the rules!!!
Jimmy Barron
March 8th, 2010
6:37 pm
Timeout from what, there was no time on the clock–LOL
Idiotrefs
March 8th, 2010
6:40 pm
Norcross should haev been allowed their timeouts. They kicked THAT rule!
Norcross Parent
March 8th, 2010
6:44 pm
Middler: I guess nothing has changed in 7 years with Norcross Cheerleading, as the story you told happened again this year exactly as you described. The Athletic Director there always backs his coaches, even when they violate school policy and protocol. The only Cheer coach with even a modicum of maturity was pushed out last year, and don’t even get me started on what a poor role model and yahoo the baseball coach is…
Notcross
March 8th, 2010
7:24 pm
so here’s the question if Mikie writes on the vent and no one reads it is he still an idiot?
correct answer is …. of course
bigdog
March 8th, 2010
7:31 pm
You know, actually, after watching this (above) video, I think the ref made the Correct call. All partisanship aside, If you look at the tape,at .1 second, number 23 looked to be pulling down the arm of Julian Royal. You cant do that. JR may or may not have been able to get a shot up, or a tap, but he must have the opportunity — that’s basketball. The foul itself occured in regulation — check the tape. The reaction of the ref may have been a second slow, but that’s not unusual for human timing. Its only of interest here because that split second delay puts him after the end of the game, but the foul/grab occured DURING REGULATION and therefore in my opinion it was an extremely gutsy but correct call. That ref should be commended for having the balls to make the call. No matter what is said, look at the tape, Royal’s arm is grabbed and it happens before the clock says 00.0. That’s all you need to know. Now, that said, 9 out of 10 times that call is not made at that time. But, ask yourself this, if that same play happened with say, 2 minutes to go in the 1st quarter, would it be called? I think so. There is no difference when the foul occurs, as long as it occurs within the time of the contest is should always be called. I commend that ref, I really do . And I think anyone who takes an objective look at this will agree.
Mike
March 8th, 2010
7:33 pm
notcross, i challenge you to a game of bball. let’s see how good you are?
bigdog
March 8th, 2010
7:33 pm
Jose, its not that point at which the call is made, its when the foul occured. Watch the tape again.
You be the referee and make the call in the controversial ending … | Drakz Free Online Service
March 8th, 2010
8:17 pm
[...] original here: You be the referee and make the call in the controversial ending … Share and [...]
Idiotrefs
March 8th, 2010
8:17 pm
How about the refs not letting the Norcross call a timeout. He could have iced the shooter and it was not allowed. By rule he should have been allowed to call a timeout!
Michael Carvell
March 8th, 2010
8:30 pm
It was a bad call, one of the worst I’ve seen in my 25 years of covering (any) sports. My opinion has nothing to do with Milton or Norcross. I was very disappointed to see the finish of an epic game taken out of the hands of the kids.
Michael Carvell
March 8th, 2010
8:32 pm
If you want to discuss more, go here … http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-high-school-sports/2010/03/08/the-ghsa-takes-questions-about-the-controversial-ending-to-state-playoff-game-updated/
THSALUM00
March 8th, 2010
8:43 pm
I don’t know how the officiating was during the entire game (loose or tight). I had to look at that video several times before posting. That call looked like it was after the clock hit zero. IMO, I don’t think that call should have been made at all. Even if the kid was in the act of shooting, it still would have been after the clock hit zero. That game should have went to OT. I think that call did an injustice to an exciting contest.
THSALUM00
March 8th, 2010
8:45 pm
Was the play reviewed? If not, GHSA definitely need to look at the idea of instant replay reviews.
NOTCROSS very sad
March 8th, 2010
8:59 pm
Notcross is a very sad person. Either A) an opposing coach that Norcross beat repeatedly, B) the referee in question, or C) David Boyd himself (as he has repeatedly found his way onto messageboards)
BBall Fan
March 8th, 2010
9:13 pm
The call was a correct one and since it happened before the clock expired, then foul shots should be awarded. I love the notion that it was “only a little foul”… a foul is a foul!
There is a lot of talk about everything happening with 0.0 time left and there should have been .2 or .3 sec put back on the clock. If I’m not mistaken, in GHSA rules, there must be more than 1 full sec left in order for the game to continue (I guess since the clock operators are not professional, they don’t feel anything should happen with less than a sec on a dead ball). Since the call was made with less than a sec, the clock doesn’t get reset and the game is deemed over.
Reality
March 8th, 2010
9:42 pm
Are you people blind!?! The call was made AFTER THE CLOCK REACHES 0.0!