By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
ABA League released a statement Tuesday concerning the final seconds in Game 2 of the finals between Crvena Zvezda and Partizan.
With 10 seconds to play, Mathias Lessort (18 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists in 26 minutes) found himself at the free-throw line. After making the first free throw and deliberately missing the second, he grabbed his own rebound before coming back to score in the paint to tie the game at 83 points. However, the referees canceled the basket, judging that the player had left his position before the ball even touched the rim.
Luka Mitrovic then hit the final lay-up of the game, to grant Crvena Zvezda an 85-81 victory.
This particular play caused a reaction by Partizan, which requested an overview of the game and released a statement in regards to Sunday’s officiating.
“A special curiosity is the fact that the ratio of mistakes in the last quarter was four to the detriment of Partizan and zero to the detriment of the Red Star. Of the four mistakes, as many as three occurred in the last minute of the game”.
After reviewing the game, ABA League released a statement, stating that the cancellation of the basket was an incorrect decision.
Per ABA League’s announcement:
“In order to clarify the situation with the officiating, that occurred in the final moments of the fourth quarter of Game 2 of the Final series between Crvena Zvezda mts and Partizan NIS, the AdmiralBet ABA League wishes to inform the public that the decision with 10 seconds left in the game, at the execution of second free throw by the player Mathias Lessort made by the referees has not been correct.
According to the expertise of the officiating by the Referees Commission of ABA League j.t.d., composed of three members, the game has been characterized as tough for officiation with plenty of difficult situations for judgment, especially when speaking of the contacts between players. During the game, there have been incorrect decisions by the referees, which is also mentioned in the analysis, adding that this is a thing, that happens in all games, but should not be happening as frequently.
After expertise by the Referees Commission of ABA League j.t.d., it has been stated that with 10 seconds left in the game, at the execution of the second free throw by the player Mathias Lessort, there has been no violation during the execution of the free throw. The ball touched the rim before the shooter has touched the free throw line or the restricted area.
Therefore, the referee’s decision has been incorrect.”
Photo credit: ABA League