In one of the most bizarre basketball games you'll ever see, two school teams deliberately try to lose the game by refusing to shoot and intentionally missing free throws.
Both Riverdale High School and Smyrna High School were attempting to lose the fixture so they could avoid playing the highly-ranked Blackman High School in the next round of the tournament, both having lost to Blackman this season.
The result was a farce, with one player asking the referee to call a three second violation on her, deliberate backcourt violations, and players attempting to score on their own basket.
Riverdale purposely missing FTs. Tanking to be on a certain side of the bracket. @hoopfeed @DishNSwish @hoopism pic.twitter.com/lEPbYb2BaO
— Trevor Goodson™ (@CousinTrevvv) February 21, 2015
According to USA Today, when the referee realised what was happening, he berated both coaches:
“That was when I called both coaches together and told them we are not going to make a travesty or mockery of the game. We are not going to start trying to shoot and score for the other team.”
Eventually a school administrator from Smyrna asked their coach why none of their usual starters were on the court. He insisted they try to win the game and that the starters be put on, and so the school recorded a 26 point win.
But by then the damage was done, and both teams have now been suspended for the remainder of the season and fined $1,500.
Smyrna trying to hand Riverdale the ball back. Then intentionally getting called for a backcourt violation. @tssaa pic.twitter.com/hkBPJIpEY7
— Trevor Goodson™ (@CousinTrevvv) February 21, 2015
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