San Fernando Loses Game and Dispute at Birmingham

A controversial ending to Friday night’s Northwest Valley League opener between San Fernando and Birmingham left the Tigers with bitter feelings and established the Braves as a serious contender for the league championship.

Birmingham escaped with a 65-64 win at home after officials refused to allow what would have been the game-winning basket by San Fernando’s Shelton Boykin at the buzzer.

With six seconds left in the game and San Fernando trailing, 65-64, the Tigers’ Sean Declouet missed an outside jump shot. Tory Stephens grabbed the offensive rebound and also missed, but Boykin followed with a tip-in.

The basket, however, was nullified when the officials ruled a foul on Boykin for reaching over the back of a Birmingham player.

Afterward, the officials immediately left the gym as several San Fernando players dropped to the floor in disgust and others shouted in protest.

Birmingham’s players, meanwhile, were being mobbed by their student section.

San Fernando Coach Dick Crowell was left in disbelief by the call. “Everybody saw the thing. It was in from the word go. There wasn’t a white (Birmingham) jersey near that guy.

“My kid was superior, quicker, got the ball and put it in.”

Said Birmingham Coach Jeff Halpern: “The game shouldn’t have even got to that point. It put hard feelings between the two teams that shouldn’t be there.”

Said Boykin, who was being scouted by Arizona State Coach Steve Patterson: “Birmingham has to come to San Fernando and it’s war when they come.”

There appeared to be ill feelings even before the final play, as officials had to separate the two teams several times during the game.

Despite the loss, Crowell refused to count his team out of the race for the league championship.

“The team that’s going to win this league won’t even go 8-2 this year,” he said. “We’re not quitting.”

Birmingham (11-1, 1-0 in league) led by four points at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but gave up nine consecutive points and trailed, 62-57, with 4 1/2 minutes left. The Braves had already lost their leading scorer in Ennerea Maxwell, who was ejected after committing a flagrant foul with 5 1/2 minutes left. It was Maxwell’s second technical foul of the game.

Birmingham moved within 64-62 with two minutes remaining on a 12-foot jump shot by Adam Zuckerman and a free throw by Damon Buford.

The winning points came on a three-point play by Birmingham’s Jason Moore with just over a minute left.

San Fernando (6-6, 0-1) had three possessions in the final minute, but was unable to convert. Boykin missed a jump shot with 45 seconds left and Declouet missed with 20 seconds to go.

Birmingham shot 53%, but did most of its damage from the free throw line. After making only 2 of 8 attempts in the first quarter, the Braves made 15 of their last 17. San Fernando was only 4 of 12 from the line.