A Missouri girls high school basketball playoff game was partially replayed on Wednesday night after a state association determined game officials failed to follow proper procedures in handling the losing school’s protest of a scoring error two nights earlier.
Principia High School, which had narrowly held off Highland High School, 46-45, in a Class 3 sectional on Monday night, saw that final score voided. The game restarted with 54 seconds left in the third quarter and Highland leading 34-29.
But Principia is advancing nonetheless after closing out the partial replay on Wednesday night with a 47-43 triumph.
The unusual replay was mandated by the Missouri State High School Activities Association after Highland protested during Monday night’s game that its scorebook showed it having scored one more point than was shown on the scoreboard.
MSHSAA said it’s investigation found that scoring table personnel initially believed they had mistakenly awarded three points instead of two to Highland and tried to correct the error as play continued.
Officials were supposed to stop play immediately to address the error. And when they finally reviewed the discrepancy, they failed to consult both team scorebooks, as rules require.
Having determined that the “on-site protest” was not handled properly, the MSHSAA ordered the final eight-plus minutes of Monday’s game removed from the record books, and ordered the game resumed from the point when the protest first occurred.
Principia next plays Friday against Centralia.
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