FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES
It's not unprecedented for officials to have a strong influence in the outcome of a basketball game.
I'd be the first to admit the officiating left something to be desired Wednesday night for the Whitehall-Bangor boys game in the first round of the District 11 Class AAAA playoffs. At the same time, I believe the officiating was equally bad on both sides. Therefore, the officials didn't determine the winner.
Many Bangor fans left Bill Pensyl Gym in an uproar after the host Slaters squandered a fourth quarter lead and finished on the short end of a 52-43 loss to the Zephyrs. The main reason for their rage seemed to be a technical foul call against Bangor coach Bron Holland with the Slaters leading 41-38 with 3:53 remaining.
Holland was somewhat distressed afterward and indicated that whatever he said wasn't directed at the officials. The veteran coach then went on record to say that it was his team's lack of execution, not the officials, that dictated the final result.
He's right. Whether the technical was warranted or not, a look at what happened after the 'T' indicates Bangor still had control of the game. Whitehall's Anthony Bellucci made just 1 of 2 technical foul shots to trim Bangor's lead to 41-39.
Whitehall retained possession but the Zephyrs' Nick Melosky was called for an offensive foul which negated a possible three-point play for Chris Moran.
Bangor still had possession with a two-point lead. But the Slaters suddenly turned cold and scored only two points the rest of the way.
Meanwhile, Moran was heating up. The senior forward scored 14 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter as Whitehall won going away. Moran was even called for a questionable 'away from the ball foul,' but Bangor failed to take advantage by missing the front end of the 1-and-1.
The official may have used bad judgement by whistling Holland for a technical at the end of a tense playoff game. But the officials didn't determine the outcome. That was settled by No. 31 -- Moran. He was clearly the difference.
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/tom-hinkel/index.ssf/2012/02/officiating_didnt_dictate_the_outcome_of_wednesdays_whitehall-bangor_boys_basketball_game.html
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