Manasquan trying to put NJ high school basketball championship game ‘on hold’ after getting screwed
The controversy surrounding the end of a New Jersey high school boys’ basketball playoff game is going from the hardcourt to the court of law.
Manasquan High School, whose game-winning buzzer-beater against Camden on Tuesday in the state semifinals was waived off by the referees despite the shot getting off before the clock ran out, has filed a lawsuit in an effort to put Saturday’s Group 2 championship game against Arts “on hold” as it seeks to have the semifinal result overturned, according to NJ.com.
The Manasquan Board of Education hired the Clark Law Firm, which is seeking “injunctive relief” from New Jersey Superior Court Judge Mark Troncone, who could set a hearing as soon as Thursday, attorney Gerald Clark told the website.
“We’re asking Judge Troncone to put the brakes on this game on Saturday pending judicial review of what happened.“ Clark told NJ.com. “What we’re trying to do is put the brakes on the game pending on who should be the right team to be in that game and declare Manasquan the winner. We will argue that the NJSIAA’s rules would require them to use the videotape to get the right result here.”
Video posted on social media shows that Manasquan’s Griffin Linstra clearly got his shot off before time ran out.
The NJSIAA admitted the wrong call was made but its bylaws do not allow for a video review, and the call on the court stands. It said the official who said he thought the ball was still in Linstra’s hands as time expired agreed after seeing video that the basket should have counted.
The referees didn’t huddle to discuss the call until Camden coaches pleaded with them, according to NJ.com, and a veteran official told the outlet that the circumstances were unusual and “that conversation never should have happened.”
The official said the refs would either meet immediately or walk off the court.
Manasquan’s appeal with the NJSIAA was denied.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,’’ Manasquan coach Andrew Bilodeau told The Post’s Dan Martin on Wednesday. “I’ve coached here 16 years and 30 years overall and nothing like that has ever happened.”
