Twelve hours after the most controversial ending of the high school basketball season, the sports world is still talking Wednesday about the ending of the 46-45
Camden win over
Manasquan in New Jersey's Group 2 semifinal.
The referees waved off a potential game-winning basket by
Griffin Linstra of Manasquan as time expired. Initially ruled good, the three officials conferred for nearly a minute and overturned the basket saying it was after the buzzer.
Video footage (see above), however, seems to refute that and shows Linstra's shot left his hand well before the clock hit 0.00.
The scene was set in part due to Camden erasing a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter and holding Manasquan scoreless in the final period.
On Wednesday, the state association denied the appeal from Manasquan as NJSIAA rules prohibit use of video replay to review game decisions.
The association released a statement Wednesday that reads, in part:
• "NJSIAA understands Manasquan's frustration regarding the outcome of last night's game. We never want a contest to end with controversy or confusion."
• "The rules are clear -- once game officials leave the ‘visual confines of the playing court,' the game is concluded, and the score is official. So, while the officiating crews' reports indicate that a post-game review of footage of the play in question convinced them that the basket should have counted, the results could not then and cannot now be changed."
• "Unlike in college or the pros, there is no instant replay review in high school basketball in New Jersey. These are the rules of the game that all schools agree to follow, and which have been upheld on appeal. We apologize to the Manasquan team for the error."
Manasquan is looking at legal remedies.
"I don't know what can happen, that is why I turned it over to Michael Gross, our school board attorney," said Manasquan Superintendent Dr. Frank Kasyan
told the Asbury Park Press. "I would like to see him get an injunction from the court to stop the games until our protest is heard, because a lot of time what happens is you'll protest, it drags on and then it becomes a moot point. So the game is Saturday. This has to happen quickly and he's on it."
The Group 2 championship game is set for noon Saturday as Camden takes on
Arts (Newark).
Manasquan junior Griffin Linstra, pictured here last season, appeared to score the game-winning bucket on Tuesday in the Warriors' NJSIAA playoff game against Camden. However, the referees waved off the bucket despite video showing the points should have counted. (File photo: Catalina Fragoso)
