LAST UPDATE | 3 Apr

BASKETBALL IRELAND HAVE abandoned their controversial plan to replay the final 0.3 seconds of last month’s National League quarter-final after the Portlaoise Panthers said they would not agree to a proposal “completely against the spirit of basketball”.

Controversy arose after the Limerick Sport Eagles beat Portlaoise 80-78 in the Division 1 clash thanks to two late free throws, with Portlaoise subsequently appealing on the grounds that the final foul had in fact occurred 1.6 seconds after the buzzer.

Basketball Ireland last night ordered that the remaining 0.3 seconds of the game should be replayed, before Portlaoise publicly rebuffed the plan on Wednesday, leading to its collapse.

Basketball Ireland said: “While playing the remaining 0.3 seconds of this contest was not a scenario wished by any party, FIBA rules were applied by the National League Committee in this instance, following Portlaoise Panthers’ appeal to overturn the result.

“FIBA rules state that: ‘If a foul is committed near the end of a quarter and overtime, the referee shall determine the remaining playing time. A minimum of 0.1 second shall be shown on the game clock.’

“The matter is now closed, the National League Committee and Basketball Ireland will not be making any further comment.” 

In their own statement, Portlaoise outlined that they did not expect their Limerick opponents, a club they “hold in the highest regard”, to travel to Portlaoise to play for such a short period of time, and that such an outcome would be in “nobody’s interest” and against “the values of basketball”. 

Basketball Ireland confirmed that the competition will now conclude with Limerick Sport Eagles hosting Moy Tolka Rovers in the semi-finals, with a date and time to be determined, before the winner plays UCD Marian in the final on Saturday 13 April.

– Additional reporting by Niall Kelly