DC’S Diamond Notes – Basketball Game Creates Questions and Opportunities For Change

May 15, 2012

By Dwight Cadwell

I have been around the game of basketball almost my entire life, as a player, a coach, a game official, observer, as a radio broadcaster, and a sports journalist. Wednesday night I was treated to one the poorest officiated games that I have seen in my number of years associated with the game of basketball.

I will be honest and say it was bad on both sides of the floor. Now I am not saying being an official is easy, it’s not, you have to make decisions in an instant; and I know some of the decisions can be wrong. But in this case, after looking back at all the missed calls and missed travels (I guess if the NBA won’t call traveling, why should local officials) the game was poorly called both ways, but once the game got close, not one call of importance went in favor of Fond du Lac.

As the horn sounded at the Hibbing Memorial arena Tuesday night ending regulation, North Woods Grizzles Ellihjaun Dotts had the basketball and he was heading for the Grizzles basket trailing by one point, 63-62. Dotts momentum carried him into a Fond du Lac Player, he threw the ball up in the air and a referee blew his whistle as or after the horn had sounded, calling a foul on the Fond du Lac player. Why the foul was called after he ran into a player who appeared stationary, and no call for the four steps he appeared to take without dribbling the basketball, is still beyond disbelief from this writer and probably the 1000’s that attended Wednesday night’s match up at Hibbing Memorial Arena.

The Grizzles players who were on the floor had fallen to their knees knowing their season had gone to an end; but after conferring with the other two referee’s, it was decided to let the foul stand and allow Dotts to shoot two free throws. The incident appeared to take place well past the three point line, so if it were a shooting foul, three shots should have been in order. Dotts made the second of two shots, sending the game to overtime, where the Grizzles took advantage of the foul disparity with FDL having three starters on the bench after fouling out. In the end, the Grizzlies secured the 75-71 win, and moved into the section championship after the double overtime win.

The Minnesota State High School League came out with this mandate a few years ago, stating we are going to have our officials call a closer game to eliminate all the clutching and grabbing and such. This worked for approximately ½ year until the playoffs started, then not blowing the whistle came back into fashion.

I am not blaming North Woods, they were allowed to clutch, grab, reach, push, run over, and commit body contact in air while a FDL player was trying to drive to the basket with no whistle. I do believe however, that it’s time to have independent individuals police the different association’s that oversee officials. Not the high school league, but a private non biased group to review officials as well as associations that govern these smaller groups. The old adage of the animals running the farm is sometimes the truth and maybe it’s time to build new cages on the farm. A private group would ensure everyone’s best interest, the best of the kids, the school and community they represent.

I believe it’s time that referees who are paid extremely well for the job they do are held accountable. Yes this is a job that pays nearly $50 an hour when all is said and done. Those who were at the game in Hibbing should feel slighted at the poor job the officials did and how a group of young men will never realize their potential in part because of a sub-par performance by very well paid individuals.

If someone were to come to where I work and voiced concerns over my performance or something I did, I would have to answer for these issues. This is not the case for officials; they answer to other officials. Since most High Schools are funded by public funds and taxes, someone other than school officials should look at ways to answer to outside grievances, not just look the other way!

The fans from Fond du Lac and all those who witnessed the events of Wednesday night should voice their concerns to the powers that be. The tournament coordinators, who also witnessed this, should do the right thing, not just for the kids who worked hard all year for this moment and deserved a well called contest; but for the game itself, and review the tape and take appropriate action.

For lack of a better way to describe it, one group of three men cheated two groups of young hardworking kids. As fans, parents, or concerned individuals who just appreciate a good game of basketball, we need to make sure this outrageous event never happens again.

Dwight Cadwell can be reached at dwight@northlandsportsonline.com