CASE: 4th and 5th Technical fouls

2003-04 Season

(O.C. Art I, Sec 14, 10.2)
A minor confrontation occurred in a basketball game after a foul was called. The referee controlled the situation. One of the players was trying to get his team focused and the referee took his comments as being taunting and disrespectful and warned him to discontinue his comments. As the game play was beginning again, a player from the opposite team commented to him that “it’s not between us” and the player agreed saying “I know”. The referee saw they were still talking to each other and gave them both double technical fouls.

RULING: 

The athlete who was warned prior to receiving the fouls was in the position of receiving his 4th and 5th technical foul, which would result in a suspension. The athlete received 2 letters of support from the incident from the other athlete involved and the coach of his college. No suspension was given as it was determined the referee misconstrued the comments the players made to each other.
(2003-04, Phipps)