Still hearing the “what happened?” comments with the last 11.6 seconds of last night’s men’s basketball game between NDSU and Oral Roberts. First, what happened: Tied at 72-72, Bison guard Mike Felt was fouled in a call that was away from the ball, something that irked ORU head coach Scott Sutton. Felt made two free throws.
After ORU’s Steven Roundtree missed a contested close jumper, Felt was fouled again and was about to go to the free throw line. That’s when refereee John Yorkovich called a technical foul on Sutton. It wasn’t long before he called another one, thus giving Felt six free throws. Felt made all six and the Bison won 80-74.
Now, what really happened: It was personal. Sutton, after the game, said he’s had a “problem” with Yorkovich for a few years. He said Yorkovich has called about half of the technicals he’s had in his career. How many? “You can probably count them on two hands,” he said.
My take: A classic case of both parties having some fault, although I’m not ready to put percentages on it. I don’t like an away-from-the-ball call in the final minute or two of a game. Let the kids decide the game with the ball in-hand. That being said, if you’re down just two points, probably wise not to say much at that point if you’re the head coach. A friend of mine near the bench said the comments were personal in nature.
I was at the game last night. Coach Sutton was on the officials from the word go. The Bison had 7 fouls called on them before Oral Roberts was whistled for a foul. I have watched certain coaches like Sutton try to intimidate officials. I remember a few years back when we played Kansas State here and we had to use Big 12 officials. Huggins worked on the officials the whole game. At the end of the game there was a no call that cost us the game and the officials beat the players off the court.
I am wondering how long to we have to be in this basketball league before the officials treat us as worthy competitors. I take my hat off to Yorkovich. He stood up to Sutton and made a call that many of the officials in this league would not make because of the fear of a blast from Sutton. Felt was hot and the ORU player was grabbing him to avoid him from receiving the ball. ORU was hanging on to our players the whole game. The game should be won or lost on the floor and not because of intimidation of officials by some coach. The official should be responsible to the league supervisor of officials only and Coach Sutton should be held reponsible for his outburst by the Commissioner.
I was also at the game and have a different take. Old Magi, you said it yourself, Sutton was on the officials the whole game. I didnt really see it that way but I do think there were PLENTY of opportunities if the official wanted to “T” him up, he could have done it a lot sooner than with 11 seconds left. That is an official making his presence known at the wrong part of the game. I really think the official was to blame for the “dispute” or whatever you want to call it.
You dont wait until the end of the game to make a statement like that. If Coach Sutton is dealt with earlier in the 2nd half, it’s most likely a non-issue. The saying goes “let the players decide the game,” and there certainly wasn’t the case last night because of a grandstanding official.
I’ve always wondered when coaches, and many fans for that matter, got the idea that the game was all about the coaches. Coaches, teach the players and everyone else that they, and the game, are just not all that important.
Coaches are too.arrogant, REFS just scream for attention.
Ewu lucks out again, should’ve been NDSU
Kolpack said he doesn’t like to see an away from the ball foul called in the last minute of two in the game. My question is why? If it is going to be called in the first minute or two or any other time in the ball game why not the last minute or two. Last time I read the rule book, it didn’t say anything about time left in the game having anything to do with calling a foul. A foul is a foul.
If the coach said something PERSONAL to the ref he should be teed up no matter the situation of the game. I’m sure the coach thought because the game was close and almost over, he could get away with anything–you were wrong coach. I’m sure you teach your players to be under control in those situations…maybe you should teach by example