STOCKTON, Calif. — With seven seconds left in the playoff game between the C.K. McClatchy Lions and the Lincoln Trojans, the loud buzz of the shot clock filled the gym at McClatchy High School Monday as the Lions' Tamaria Rumph scored a point putting her team two points ahead of the Trojans.
In the mixture of sounds from cheering spectators and the loud buzz of the clock, fans began rushing the court in celebration of the shot.
Meanwhile, the Trojans continued running down the court, in hopes of securing one last shot with their remaining seven seconds, dodging fans who were already making their way from the stands through the mid-court line.
"My jaw dropped," said Chris Roemer, head coach for the Lincoln High School Varsity Girl's Basketball team. "There was such pandemonium or chaos that engulfed the whole moment of the game, and I think the refs were overwhelmed. I think the kids were in shock."
The game, played at McClatchy High School, was part of the California Interscholastic Federation's (CIF) Sac-Joaquin Section Girls Basketball Playoffs. A win in the game would land the winning team a chance at the section championship.
As the active basketball court turned into an impromptu place of celebration and gathering for fans, referees signaled the game was over.
The move by the referees meant the Lions would officially go on to a semifinal game and the Trojans would head back south to Stockton with their season over and hopes for a chance at the championship squelched.
Roemer says the ending of the game was hard to process for him and his team.
"It's really hard to explain to a 16- or 17-year-old, young adolescent, like what took place and why it is happening, and why can't it be fixed," Roemer said. "I think the team is in a better place now, in a better mindset, but yeah, I think it took some time for them."
Despite the controversy over the ending of the game, CIF officials say their hands are tied.
"Once the officials say, 'This is it, this is the final result,' there's really nothing, certainly nothing, that we can do about it," said CIF's Assistant Commissioner, Will DeBoard. "It's kind of one of those situations where you just hope it doesn't happen moving forward."
The CIF is bound to rules outlined by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), according to DeBoard. He says that the CIF has combed through the rules which state clearly that no protest is allowed regarding the score or ending of a basketball game.
"The Sac-Joaquin Section can't step in and say, 'Okay, we're replaying that game' or anything like that," DeBoard said. "It's part of the human element of officiating basketball games and it's something that I don't think anybody in that gym was really thrilled with."
In order to change or add a rule, DeBoard says the issue would have to be brought up at national advisory meetings with the NFHS. DeBoard also recognizes that at some games, such as the upcoming championships, fans are more strictly barred from rushing the court during game-time.
Roemer says he hopes policies can change and hopes that parents and fans will see the incident at the Monday game and behave better.
"I think the behavior was deplorable and unacceptable," Roemer said. "I think that was definitely unacceptable behavior of those adults and was not a representation of all those kids or families from the team. But it's a travesty what took place."
The McClatchy Lions went on to lose to the Oak Ridge Trojans, 47 to 41 during their semifinal game. Oak Ridge will play against the Folsom Bulldogs for the CIF Sac-Joaquin championship at the Golden One Center Saturday at 6 p.m.
"I know sometimes those things are a little bit uncontrollable," DeBoard said. "I think everybody could probably be a little more aware of exactly the context of the game and how much time is left and know when to celebrate."
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