Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 25, 1990 TAG: 9003252027
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: NEW ORLEANS LENGTH: Long
For two straight nights in the regional basketball semifinals, the NCAA Tournament played the 1990s' version of "Beat the Clock," a popular TV series of days gone by.
On Thursday night in the East Regional, Connecticut beat Clemson when Tate George's right-baseline jumper somehow squeezed between time-expired and the Meadowlands horn.
One night later at the Superdome, Georgia Tech's Kenny Anderson made a basket that was first thought to be a 3-pointer, but - if telecast replays are proof - should have been a no-counter at the end of regulation. In overtime, the Yellow Jackets advanced past Michigan State.
Spartans coach Jud Heathcote didn't complain about the officials' decision that Anderson's shot was good. He was steamed about a lack of movement by the timepiece a few seconds earlier when Michigan State star Steve Smith was fouled after receiving an inbounds pass.
Unsurprisingly, Anderson's game-tying basket was still a controversial subject Saturday, when Georgia Tech and Minnesota players and coaches held news conferences on the eve of today's Southeast Regional final.
In a large hotel meeting room, it seemed like the five Yellow Jackets starters and coach Bobby Cremins were the only people who thought Anderson's goal was good. An informal poll of 20 media members was unanimous - it was horn, then hoop.
Gophers coach Clem Haskins had an idea after witnessing the confusion and pandemonium at the end of regulation time in Friday's game that he scouted.
"I would say that there's so much at stake anymore, and the game is such a big business - and I don't like that - but there's too much at stake to let an official miss a call, or for the running of the clock to be involved," he said. "I think, if that happens, you need to say, `Yes, let's go back and take a look at the replay' in those situations. There's too much at stake."
Anderson's shot and the no-call by the officiating crew created a $286,500 split second. That's the difference in the payment to schools advancing to a regional semifinal final and a regional final.
The projected reward for a team advancing to a semifinal in the '90 tournament is $859,500. A team reaching the regional final earns $1.146 million.
The controversial ending could be more costly to the Big Ten Conference. Had Michigan State beaten Georgia Tech, the league would have been assured of having a Final Four entrant. Schools reaching Denver next weekend earn $1,432,500. If the Yellow Jackets beat Minnesota today, the Big Ten, which splits its NCAA receipts among members, is out another $286,500.
"It's not fair to have a game decided like that," Haskins said. "Like I said, I don't like the business side, but it's part of it, and you're talking about a lot of money."
Cremins disagrees with Haskins on the use of television replay to make clock-involved decisions at end of games.
"Absolutely not," said the Tech coach when asked about replay. "We have three officials out there, and they get paid well, and they've got to make the call. I'm not in favor of instant replay.
"How can you describe a tenth of a second? You going to tell me the Connecticut shot was a good shot? But the officials did the right thing.
"See, it should have been counted. But how can a kid catch the ball in the air, land, turn and shoot in one second. It's impossible.
"Kenny's shot, it was right on the borderline, no question about it. If they're good officials, they've got to let it go.
"I told you the big controversy I was involved with was I thought they were arguing about the shot not being good. The shot should have counted, if it's that close. When it's that close, it's got to count."
The officiating crew of John Clougherty, Mike Tanco and Charlie Range gathered after the horn to discuss the shot. Clougherty, who has worked five straight Final Fours, raised his arms after the basket, signalling a 3-point goal.
Range came from the other side of the floor and said Anderson was on the 3-point arc, which replays showed to be correct.
"What they were arguing about was the two or the three," Cremins said. "The official right next to me had the touchdown [3-point] signal. And that other official came out of nowhere and made a gutty call, and he was really observant at that time of the game.
"Kenny did have his foot on the line. In one way, Michigan State, I know, they say `Well maybe it shouldn't have been good.' But they did get an opportunity for the game to go into overtime. I was hoping there would be no overtime. I was hoping it would be over."
Anderson insisted he released the ball before the horn after the game, and repeated his assuredness Saturday.
"I know when the buzzer sounded. I heard it," said the Yellow Jackets' freshman guard.
Heathcote asked Clougherty to look at a replay as Tech's players fell into a joyous pile on the floor.
"He said, `No, you can't replay it,' " Heathcote said.
The officials do not comment unless the controversy involves a book rule. This was a judgement call. Just a day earlier at a news conference, Heathcote said that during his term as president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, the organization has petitioned referees to be available to answer media questions after games, as coaches are.
"In crucial games, I'm not sure we shouldn't be using instant replay," Heathcote said after the Spartans' loss. "You've got an awful lot at stake in a game like this.
"For us, for them, for the schools, the conferences. There should not be a mistake made by the officials on whether a shot beat the buzzer or didn't beat the buzzer.
"Well, it's just one of those things."
by CNB