Basketball teams ordered to replay final 0.3 seconds of quarter-final tie

Limerick Sport Eagles and Portlaoise Panthers were told to replay the final 0.3 seconds of a second-tier quarter-final match in Ireland, the governing body has confirmed.

The Eagles beat the Panthers 80-78 in a match that took place on March 23, but the Limerick side’s winning points came from a free throw awarded on the final whistle.

The Panthers appealed on the basis that there was no remaining time when the foul took place, although the Eagles had already assumed they had secured a home league semi-final with victory.

The National League Committee (NLC) ruled that the result would stand, but the Panthers then appealed to the National Appeals Committee (NAC).

The NAC originally ruled that the match should be replayed in full despite finding that the free throws were rightly awarded, although it ruled that the referees should have placed a fraction of a second back on the block and allowing a restart.

In a statement released by Basketball Ireland on Tuesday, it announced: “Basketball Ireland and the National League Committee (NLC) have been in regular contact with the clubs involved in the InsureMyVan.ie division one fixture.

It added: “The NLC has ruled that the fixture will not be replayed in full, however the remaining 0.3 seconds of the quarter-final, is to be played this week and Basketball Ireland will be in liaison with the clubs to determine when.”

Further controversy came from a line included in the statement that: “this option to appeal to the NAC was granted in error by the National League Committee because on-court refereeing decisions cannot be overturned.”

The final score on the night will still stand, with Limerick leading 80-78 when the final 0.3 seconds of the match will start.