I have never seen this happen before

For the first time in 20 years in this business, I covered a basketball game Monday night where the game ball literally disappeared without a trace.

A player made a steal, went in for a jam and was fouled in the process, took exception to the foul and a little shoving and mouthing ensued. The shooter was given a technical for the extracurricular activity and it took the officials a few seconds to get it all straight (who had what; do we shoot the tech first or the free throws for the original foul?).

They get things straightened out and prepare to shoot free throws, only there is no ball with which to shoot. Players and officials are looking under bleachers, around corners, down hallways, anywhere the ball may have gotten off to, but without success. After a couple more minutes, an assistant coach had to run back to the equipment room to get a suitable game ball (none from the rack used for warmups was deemed worthy).

I have covered way too many baseball games where play had to be stopped while foul balls were rounded up. I have been at football (and soccer) games where a kick landed on the wrong side of a fence and had to be retrieved before action resumed.

But how the hell do you lose a basketball in the middle of a freakin' gymnasium?

 

Did they ever find it later?

 

Someone walked off with it when no one was looking, would be my guess.

 

I think you should go back and recreate the scene of the crime. Pretend you are a CSI guy and write a story about it.

 

Examine the game tape frame by frame like the Zapruder film.

 

I hope this was girls basketball.

 

They had multiple game balls (one primary ball and a couple of backups) at every game I ever covered. I think it was required by rule.

 

Yeah, because there are a lot of jam attempts in girls high-school basketball.

 

I suspect the pregnant lady.

 

Really? I was gonna go with the pregnant guy.

 

Back and to the left.