The NBL has conceded it made the incorrect call to slap Sydney Kings forward Kouat Noi with a flop warning and technical foul in a chaotic semi-final between the Kings and Taipans on Friday night.
The crucial call against Noi came with just two minutes remaining in a heated match in Cairns, which saw the Taipans level the semi-final series at 1-all following a 93-82 victory.
The Kings bench star had an accidental head clash with Taipans forward DJ Hogg as the pair battled for possession.
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Noi was hit with a flop warning and a technical foul, despite walking away with a broken nose.
The referees’ decision prompted Kings coach Chase Buford to verbally hit out at the officials before he made the choice to leave the game before he was ejected.
“How the f*** is that a flop warning? He’s bleeding, you missed it. Admit it… you missed it … you f****** up,” he yelled.
“He’s got a f****** broken nose now, and it’s a flop warning.”
“Again, they guessed, they guessed wrong,” Buford said post-game.
“It happens a lot in this league, I don’t know why I’m surprised.”
The NBL released a statement on Saturday saying the league had reviewed the incident and acknowledged a mistake was made.
“With 2:11 remaining in the fourth quarter, Sydney’s Kouat Noi was issued a flop warning which resulted in a technical foul,” the statement said.
“The decision was incorrect, and a flop warning should not have been called. A regular foul should have been called on Noi, which would have resulted in two free throws for the Taipans.”
The Noi call wasn’t the only incident in a drama-filled semi-final game between Sydney and Cairns.
Kings centre Tim Soares could be cited after his shoulder came in contact with the jaw of Taipans’ forward Sam Waardenburg.
However, expert commentators Liam Santamaria and Andrew Gaze perceived Soares’ contact to Waardenburg’s jaw to be accidental.
The NBL’s Game Review Panel will assess other incidents from the Kings versus Taipans match and further comment will be provided once that process is complete.
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