Nevada barely overcomes blown call

Nevada boys basketball coach John McNeley (right) lets the referee know what he thought of a call late in the game that almost cost Nevada the win.

By Joe Warren

Nevada Daily Mail

It was one of those games you talk about for years afterwards. You don't remember that Nevada is a team on the rise, trying to establish consistency on the court and that Clinton is rebuilding, playing four freshman extensive minutes.

You don't remember that Nevada should have blown this team out of the water, or that the Tiger defense and shot selection was inconsistent.

You remember the comeback from six points down with under a minute to play in overtime on the road to win.

Here is how the final minute unfolded, as Nevada made play after play and overcame the deficit and some poor officiating to get the victory:

Clinton 62, Nevada 56, 1:00 left in overtime -- The Tigers were without their best defender in Taylor Rainey, who fouled out in the fourth quarter and J.R. Mills, their best outside shooter, who also fouled out. Eric Atkinson, the main inside presence, was saddled with four fouls limiting his aggressiveness against the mammoth 6-6 Clinton junior John McCoy, who had made some big shots late in the game to help force the overtime period.

0:52 -- Bryan Campbell, who had struggled from the field all game and had already missed three outside shots in the overtime period, buried a three-pointer from the right wing to cut the lead in half. As Nevada coach John McNeley said after the game, "Bryan can't throw it in the river right now from the perimeter, but he keeps going at it."

0:28.6 -- Ben Wilson steals the ball out of the hands of Clinton's freshman point guard Trent Buckner, and is on his way to what appears to be an easy layup. Wilson is hit by two defenders from behind, forcing the ball to hit the bottom of the backboard. The referee, who was in perfect position to make the call, calls it out of bounds off Wilson (off the bottom of the backboard) without whistling either of the Clinton defenders for a foul.

Apparently the ref thought Wilson usually uses the bottom of the backboard when laying the ball in.

McNeley calls a timeout after the ref's miscue, and appears to use the time to wish the referee a special Merry Christmas in hopes that St. Nick will bring the zebra some much-needed optical technology.

0:24.3 -- Still trailing by three, Campbell fouls Clinton freshman Andre' Steward, who had scored all six of Clinton's points in the overtime period. Steward does his part to make the comeback happen as he promptly steps to the line and misses both shots.

0:17.0 -- Ben Wilson gets a basket in the lane while again appearing to get fouled. Maybe the referees got confused thinking it was Wilson the tight end going through the middle, not Wilson the point guard. Again there is no call made but Wilson cuts the lead to one with the field goal.

0:16.2 -- Nevada again calls timeout, setting up their defensive strategy for both the inbounds pass and surely the subsequent foul if Clinton is able to get the ball in play.

0:15.3 -- Logan Moore steals the inbounds pass while on the baseline, barely getting control of the ball and staying in bounds, alertly calling timeout as he loses his balance and falls out.

Luckily for the Tigers the referees have no problems with their hearing and they grant Nevada the call.

Also lucky for Nevada was McNeley's penchant for hoarding timeouts. The Tigers needed every last one of them in this game, and Moore's play was only possible because there was one left.

0:09.2 -- Campbell gets his shot to fall in the lane, giving Nevada a 63-62 lead and completing the comeback.

0:03.0 --Wilson steals the ball again, preventing Clinton from taking a possible buzzer-beater at home.

0:01.1 -- Wilson is fouled, putting him on the line for a 1-1 opportunity. Yes, despite playing the whole second half and overtime in a physical game, Clinton still only had nine team fouls. Who says referees don't affect the outcome of games?

Wilson missed the front end and did not get the bonus, but there was not near enough time for Clinton to collect the rebound and get off a decent shot.

0:00 -- Nevada celebrates a 63-62 overtime win on the Clinton Cardinals' home court.

This recollection of the game is purely a commentary coming from someone with a court-side view of the happenings mentioned. Joe Warren and the Nevada Daily Mail do not claim to know what McNeley was thinking, or saying to the referees during their civil discussions. Nor does Warren have any scientific proof of any actual physical shortcomings the referees may or may not have.