Campbell Hall Loses Protest of Overtime Game

Campbell Hall High’s protest of its overtime loss to Crossroads last month has been denied, jeopardizing the Vikings’ chances of winning a boys’ Delphic League basketball championship.

Campbell Hall (19-2, 6-2 in league play and ranked third in Southern Section Division V) filed a written protest after its 73-63 overtime loss to Crossroads at Santa Monica High on Jan. 22, claiming that time was improperly allowed to run off the clock in the final moments of regulation.

On an inbounds play with the score tied, 57-57, and four seconds left in regulation, Campbell Hall threw a legal lateral pass along the baseline to a second player standing out of bounds. The clock appeared to start after the lateral pass.

The second player threw a looping pass downcourt to Austin McKellar, who took two steps before a referee signaled that time had elapsed before McKellar attempted a shot.

Campbell Hall Coach Joe Jackson filed a protest with Pat Brown of Brentwood High, the league president. Brown interviewed the officials, both of whom said they were unsure whether the clock started during the lateral baseline pass or on the toss downcourt to McKellar.

Since the officials claimed they were not certain when the clock started, Brown ruled there was no basis for appeal. The scoreboard operator--who was applauded by Crossroads fans as he walked through the stands after the game--insisted to the game officials that he did not start the clock until McKellar touched the ball.

“They changed their story from what they told me at the game,” Jackson said of the officials. “They’re doing it just to protect themselves.”

Jackson said that after the game one official admitted there was an error but that he was overruled by the second official.

The Vikings are now 1 1/2 games behind defending league champion Crossroads, which was 7-0 in league play entering Saturday’s game against Bel-Air Prep.

Campbell Hall, which has two league games remaining, will play host to Crossroads on Tuesday at 7 p.m.