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Ireland basketball team Portlaoise Panthers said Wednesday they will refuse to replay the final 0.3 seconds of their match against Limerick Sport Eagles because it would be “against the spirit” of the sport.
Limerick beat Portlaoise 80-78 away on March 23, but their opponents appealed against the result on the basis that a foul call, which preceded the Eagles’ winning free throws, was awarded after the buzzer.
Ireland basketball chiefs ordered the teams to replay 0.3 seconds of the Division One game.
However, the Panthers said in a statement that replaying a fraction of a second in the quarter-final would go against the “values of the game of basketball”.
“We think the ordering of 0.3 seconds to be replayed of our quarter-final is completely against the spirit of basketball and… was never the basis for appeal,” said the Panthers.
“We would never ask nor expect Limerick Sport Eagles, a club whom we hold in the highest regard, to travel to Portlaoise to play the remaining 0.3 seconds.
“It would be in nobody’s interest and would not be adherent to the values of the game of basketball.
“To be clear, if we are instructed to take to the court to play the 0.3 seconds, we will refuse to do so.”
Basketball Ireland later released a statement saying the Panthers had informed the National League Committee and Basketball Ireland that they would not be fulfilling the remainder of the fixture, confirming “the matter is now closed”.
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