“The ball was clearly in the net when the buzzer sounds.” This was the plaintive cry across social media this week to a seemingly incredible bad refereeing decision at a New Jersey high school state basketball semi-final.
Matt Manley filmed the game between Camden and Manasquan for Shore Sports Network and the clip he shared on X, formerly Twitter, starts with Camden taking a penalty shot to take a 46-45 lead with seconds left in the game.
With the clock running out, a player from Manasquan dashes down the court and drives the ball to the corner for a final shot. The attempt ricochets off the rim, but Griffin Linstra is right there to tip it back into the net just as the buzzer sounds.
The court erupts in jubilation as fans rush to embrace their heroes, convinced Manasquan has clinched a thrilling 47-46 victory. In the midst of the chaos, the referees convene for a crucial discussion.
The verdict is in: the celebration is premature. The victory is awarded to Camden, turning the tide of the game.
Here’s the clip, courtesy of Manley and Shore Sports Network. Judge for yourselves:
Manley himself comments: “Griffin Linstra hits this putback to set off a huge celebration but the officials confer and decide it doesn't count. I thought they might be putting time back on the clock. Looked and sounded good from my seat.”
The clip sparked many replies on X, including this from Jim Keady: “If the coaches at Camden had any integrity, they would forfeit this win to Mansaquan. It is clear that the shot was up well before the buzzer went off. The refs got it wrong. This is a massive teaching moment for those Camden coaches to share with their players.”
Connor Joseph said: “That’s one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen Squan got brutally robbed here.”
Even controversial high school coach Mike Rice pitched in with: “This wasn’t even close. Manasquan got robbed!”
And Barstool Sports writer Rico Bosco, said: “Just an awful way to lose especially after a refs huddle. Absolutely horrible. Brutal brutal loss.”
It was, indeed — as Bosco laments — a wild night in hoops.
Image created using artificial intelligence with Midjourney.
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