Contributed by reader
Controversial refereeing marred a recent basketball match where Anglican High School (AHS) edged out Raffles Girls’ School (RGS) 49-48. A lot was at stake in the game with both teams in contention for a spot in the quarter-finals of the National B Division Basketball Championship.
This recalls another refereeing controversy going back to a match held last year in the National C Division, where a last second shot by a Woodgrove Secondary player was counted despite errors in time keeping.
A few incidents in the last two quarters of the game made RGS coach Guangyi furious as he felt that AHS were handed a great advantage in the final moments. These calls came on top of other dubious calls throughout the game.
Incident 1: (3rd quarter 4m32s)
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4x8AJ72FD0
While RGS was defending, AHS #5 set up a screen for PG #10. The screen was not established and it happened that RGS defensive player #7 crashed into the screen. The AHS #5 fell to the ground in a dramatic way. A foul was called on the RGS #7 instead of the AHS #5.
It was clearly a badly executed screen with the screener at the wrong position and still moving while setting up the screen.
Incident 2: (4th Quarter, 4m23s)
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmHrqnwNWag
Hannah Ng went for a breakaway lay-up, and the AHS #6 made contact with her. A call from the tailing referee was clearly heard, while the front leading referee stopped and looked at the trailing referee. Although the foul was obvious, and the referee had even blown her whistle to make a call, she changed her mind.
Incident 3: (4th Quarter, 16.9secs)
With 16.9secs on the clock, in the crucial moments of the game, RGS called a time-out and set up a play. Hannah Ng managed to find a place under basket for a lay-in.
However, it was clearly seen that the AHS #5 slapped her shoulder while Hannah was making the shot. The basket tied the game and if the foul had been called and the free throw awarded, there would be a chance for RGS to take the lead, which would have made a the difference in the game.
Incident 4: (4th Quarter, 6.2s)
[Violation of FIBA Official Rules, ART 18.2.4 & ART 18.2.5]
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6DzDx7uQmc
Cross-referencing to the FIBA Official Rules, as quoted below:
[Art 18.2.4: A time-out opportunity ends when the ball is at the disposal of a player for a throw-in or a first or only free throw]
[Art 18.2.5: Two (2) time-outs may be granted to each team at any time during the first half; three (3) time-outs at any time during the second half and one (1) during each extra period.]
After RGS #9 Hannah Ng made the basket to tie the game, AHS started the ball quickly. AHS managed to bring the ball up to half court and suddenly a 3rd time-out was awarded to AHS. It was obvious that AHS called for a time-out after the throw in yet the time-out was given.
Refer to the following videos:
AHS first time-out in 3rd Quarter, 4min38sec left on the clock.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ONCUWA2Zsk
AHS second time-out at the 5min39secs mark of 4th Quarter.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s8Gmo7dZ2A
RGS first time-out in 4th Quarter 7min36sec
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nkjMdGqeBc
RGS second Time-out in 4th Quarter 36.7sec httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNdlZEQq5N4
RGS third time-out in 4th Quarter 16.9sec
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkCoUiEtuQM
Incident 5: (4th Quarter, 6.2s)
After AHS called for a 3rd time-out, AHS attempted a throw-in at mid court. RGS #9 Hannah Ng managed to slap the in-bound pass out. The game clock did not move at all although the ball had already come into contact with the player on court. It could have wound down 0.5s, to 1s on the clock and mount extra pressure on AHS.
Incident 6: (4th Quarter, 6.2s)
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCJiRwZ5COM
[Violation of FIBA Official Rules, ART 18.2.4 & ART 18.2.5]
[Art 18.2.4: A time-out opportunity ends when the ball is at the disposal of a player for a throw-in or a first or only free throw]
[Art 18.2.5: Two (2) time-outs may be granted to each team at any time during the first half; three (3) time-outs at any time during the second half and one (1) during each extra period.]
After the first attempted throw-in, the AHS #6 received the ball from the referee again. With the tall Hannah blocking her view, she had difficulty in finding a teammate to pass to for the throw-in. With the 5-second violation winding down to only 1 second, the 4TH TIME-OUT was awarded.
Although the RGS coach made a protest at the official table, the senior referee choose to stand near the game clock and did not clarify with the table officials.
Incident 7:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWj_5KoXtdI
AHS managed to throw in successfully, and the ball reached the hands of the AHS #5. She drove in and two RGS players were guarding her. With the slightest contact, a foul was called on the RGS #5. If they were to be consistent, the same type of foul should be already been called while Hannah was making the last under basket.
Although there are qualified FIBA referees refereeing the game, questionable calls are affecting the outcome of the match.
LOL if rgs cannot stand the reff then they should just withdraw from tournament. this “reff standard not good” topic has been going on and on all the while, it’s seriously nothing new right. so why the big fuss? i think many people got used to it. if you cant change it, why not just live with it? make your life easier, dont be so stressed still must cut clips to create this post.
and the game is already over. dots.
sian you dunno how to spell “refereeing”? refree a bit guai guai
AHS fall down at the slightest bump.
Excuse me lor, what ‘The AHS #5 fell to the ground in a dramatic way.’ if isn’t for RGS to bang into her will she even fall, or even fall in a dramatic way? Is RGS bang into her right ? Sorry if the foul was called on #7 of RGS but it is not what #5 of AHS want right ? And like stop blaming AHS people for winning RGS just that refree was biased ,is not like they wanted the refree to be biased to them right ? Stop blaming AHS, all of you thinks that it is not fair to RGS during the match, But this report is so not fair to AHS. Do you think AHS want it ? Now AHS feels unfair too, So you all like it now. But anyway IS A NICE MATCH ANGLICAN HIGH! WOW either because you get the GOOD refree but YOU STILL WON! thats a fact, GET IT lifes.
RGS shld thanks for that days call HmmHmm they had a good draw Qtr Final if not they will be with DSS/USS/CCHM..SO let the east top 3 team battle for the 2 spots.Good Luck to DSS/CCHM/USS keep ur cool during ur match.
What boils down to the problem is “REFEREE HAS THE FINAL CALL” regardless what the coaches/teachers/players tell them. They are human and they have their own “Mian Zi” so when you prompt to them that they are making the unfair call too many times you are “DEAD”.In a game with less than 40s on the clock team W was losing but with the fanstatic “referee call” team W managed to score abt 15 to 17 pts from free throw and etc. Also when the ref does not like your team can simply pick on 1 player attitude esp when you are easily agitated sort to give “TECHNICAL FOUL NOT ONE BUT TWO” whahaha. “SO DUN GO HEAD ON WITH REFEREE” if you wants to have not so 1 sided game… Well what the Referee Commitee Body should put the Zone referee to umpire that match. i.e. if team from west meet east the ref shld be either sth or nth ref to be fair and no so bias call. So “REFEREE ARE KING OF THE COURT” dun play play hor. So even you write in to BAS to lodge complaint cannot “JALAN” one. The most 3 months suspension nia ma. But your school who complain abt the Referee “YOU ARE DOOM” when suspension is over. Hahaha Good Luck Hor
pls lor, say wat you want. ahs win rgs cos of bad refree. that is fact la. the whole como is about bad refreeing and the refrees and definitely not on both school players. get it straight that bad refreeing is the thingy that we should address. tks!
what action is going to be taken?
are these refs going to be taken to task?
what are your thoughts les?
Sometimes is liddat derh lah. The referee makes the final decisions. If got anything settle on court, dun wait until the match end then go make a fuss. Theres no point.. the results had came out lerh what. So if after the match go make a fuss is just being stupid. I think this post is so unfair to AHS. These actions maybe were not seen by the referees as they had different views at different points. If the referees succumb to the crowd’s pressure then whats the use of having a referee? Might as well let the crowd be referee. And there is bound to be contact when playing basketball, whats a game of basketball without contact? I certainly hope this kind of cases wont happen again.
It’s really not fair for the Raffles players to train so hard and not get what they deserved at the end of the day. Please lah, I mean I bet AHS also want to win Raffles fair and square and not through biasness. There’s like no sportsmanship.
is it game fixing happening AROUND in school game? tt horrible
it’s obvious that referees in all sports have a biased view towards Raffles. And they simply want the underdog to win. I think all the videos are sufficient proof. Please, do not let bad refereeing affect the nature of school sports.
i think that both teams played very well. i think that the referee didnt do very well. HAHA. yeah.
hope that RGS would play with AHS again, and the referees will be better.
i sincerely pray that mr J. MA from the referee comm visit this web
Nvm la. Anyway raffles also go top 8. beat them in the finals!
the common tricks… officiate in the normal way when score are close.. when score starts to drift apart, they will show stuns to pull the score close… final quarter will be the part where all the stuns appear to make the team they wan win…
why not we put it this way… referee already had a winner in heart even before the game…
i think that the referee was wrong on many occasions and i think many players often disagree with referees. maybe there should be some restriction on the referees. they are getting too lax.
referring to Ai ya, i think that though RGS should move on, don’t you think there’s a serious problem that needs to be fixed? if all you want to say is Decision is final, there is not point commenting.
Being an ex-player and a spectator now,I’ve seen many cases of bad refering.it’s so bad tt once during a game,sum1 shouted at the referee(whom i shall not named)to go home if he does nt noe how to ref.Seriously,bball standard in refering has dropped badly.perhaps we shld b stricter in the umpire tests n exams?
e part bout the timeclock nt starting is understandable.stimes it take the offcials awhile to react.and normally the official starts the timeclock oni when it gets passed into the court.in this case,it seems that the ball has not even passed the side line when it’s hit out again.timing of the ref has owas been a prob.there was an incident when my team enforced full-court press on opponent’s team and obviously the time clock shows 13sec left n e ball haven passed the half-court line.it’s violation of 8s rule but e referee insisted tt only 7s had passed.such cases r common.
and there’s oso e prob tt referee insists tt they’re owas rite.true.referee’s decision is final.we’ve heard this many times.but sumtimes they shld oso listen to coaches’ opinions and take note of unfair jugedement made.e part bout givin 4time-outs is seriously unacceptable tho.there shld have been somebody taking note of no of time-outs given and i’m really appalled by such stupid mistakes made.
however,I agree with C and player.This DEFINITELY IS a one-sided article.shld u be targetted at the ref,it shldnt oni shows one-side of unfair decisions made by ref.this is certainly a pro-rgs and anti-ahs article and will be unfair to ahs players when obviously they played as hard in the match and it IS the ref tt caused the outcome of match.
i agree bout human error and stuff.but having so many mistakes in one match is definitely serious.it is no longer something tt u can use excuses like ‘human makes mistakes’ and ‘they’re humans for god’s sake’ to cover it.
lastly,e match’s over ppl,so i guess let’s jus congrats the ahs players and wish them best of luck in the next round.good game for rgs players,jiayou for next yr.
Just called all the coaches gathered and find out which ref always help which sch.
If one coach said the ref always help that sch, no use. But if a few coaches all agreed on the particular ref who always helps that sch, I think the ref management should sack that ref.
Fairness is the basic mentality for all ref. No fairness, how to be a ref?
I think the ref management skill also very poor. Allocation of ref – poor. Ref grading system – poor. Ref mentor program – failed.
No wonder there is another group of refs trying to form a new ref organisation sometime ago. They failed, I guess, as BAS REF got a big name to monopolised the market. 😛
Conclusion: No one cares if your team put in 4,368 man-hours a year of training, and lost all the efforts becoz of one man in the middle. The tournament management just want to collect the final score. Decision is final. Better luck next time.