Both Coaches Agree, El Segundo Wins Game
A review of game tapes determined that El Segundo defeated South Torrance, 48-47, Wednesday in an Ocean League boys’ basketball game that ended in controversy.
El Segundo Athletic Director Steve Shevlin said both schools scored the game from videotapes because the scoreboard showed a 48-47 El Segundo victory while scorebooks from both schools had South Torrance winning, 47-46.
Both coaches agreed to file a protest with the Ocean League because referees refused to sign the scorebooks. Thursday they withdrew their protests after videotapes revealed that both scorekeepers failed to record a basket during the frenzied finish to the game.
“We could have gone ahead with the protest because what’s in the book is official,” South Torrance Coach Lamont Henry said. “But they beat us, so we decided not to.”
El Segundo’s DaShawn Strong made the game-winning shot with three seconds remaining.
Referees are prohibited from reviewing videotapes to aid in making game decisions.
“I spoke with [officials from] South Torrance and everything is hunky dory now,” Shevlin said. “It was pretty crazy at the end and we all have high school kids doing the books and they just missed a basket.”
El Segundo is 15-2 and 4-0 in Ocean League play. South Torrance falls to 5-10, 0-4.
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