1980-81: Twenty-Six Seconds Took Five Minutes

Referees’ whistles echoed throughout the Bonita Vista gymnasium.

From a 1/14/81 account of a Metropolitan League game by Linda Murphy of The San Diego Union:

Seven-foot, one-inch Bonita Vista center Larry Irwin was fouled by Chula Vista’s Louie Romero as Irvin went up for a rebound.  Bonita Vista led, 65-61, with 26 seconds remaining in the game but the unranked Barons had seen a 13-point, third-quarter lead shrink against the No. 6 Spartans.

The foul was Romero’s fifth but he also picked up a technical foul for beefing too loudly to the game official.  Irwin converted both ends of the one-and-one and Jon Freeman drained the technical free throw. Bonita Vista led, 68-61.

Twenty-six seconds still remained.

Chula Vista’s Terry Fields almost immediately was assessed a technical foul for guarding too closely when Bonita attempted to inbound the ball following the free throws.

Fields picked up another technical when he “bounced the ball in the direction of the official”.

The clock did not move.

Jon Freeman then converted a free throw for the first technical and then made two more for the second technical.  Bonita’s lead was 71-61.

There still were 26 seconds remaining.

The clock began to run with the Barons riding out the final ticks.

A referee’s whistle tooted again.

Freeman, who took game scoring honors with 25 points, including 13 from the free-throw line, added two more points following a late, intentional foul.

Final score, Bonita Vista (11-4) 73, Chula Vista (11-3) 61.