In a shocking turn of events during New Jersey’s high school boys basketball playoffs, Manasquan High School appeared to have secured a stunning victory with a game-winning buzzer-beater against Camden High School in the state semifinals. However, the referees ultimately reversed the call, determining that the shot had come after the final buzzer. This decision led to a heartbreaking 46-45 loss for Manasquan and a ticket to the state finals for Camden, the state’s No. 2-ranked team.
The wild sequence began with Camden’s Alijah Curry sinking a critical free throw with less than six seconds left, putting Camden up by one point. Manasquan quickly dashed up the court, with Griffin Linstra seemingly scoring the game-winning put-back just as the buzzer sounded. The initial call of the basket caused jubilant celebrations among Manasquan’s fans and players. However, after a review, the referees determined that the shot was late, leading to confusion and disappointment for the Manasquan team and supporters.
Manasquan’s head coach Andrew Bilodeau expressed frustration with the referees’ decision and believed that time should have been added back on the clock. Video evidence of the game showed that there was still time remaining when Linstra made the shot, adding to the controversy surrounding the call.
Despite these events, Camden ultimately emerged victorious, with their coach Maalik Wayns acknowledging that his team had benefited from some luck. The outcome left many social media users and even former basketball coaches criticizing the referees’ reversal, expressing empathy for Manasquan’s unfortunate loss. Now, Camden is set to face off against Newark Arts in the upcoming state final.
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