Basketball-Portlaoise refuse chance to replay 0.3 seconds of quarter-final

"We would never ask or expect Limerick Sport Eagles, a club we hold in the highest regard, to travel to Portlaoise to play the remaining 0.3 seconds," the team said in a statement. "It would not be in anyone's interest and would not be in keeping with the values of the game of basketball.

Irish basketball club Portlaoise Panthers have refused the opportunity to replay 0.3 seconds of their Division 1 quarter-final loss to Limerick Sport Eagles as ordered by Basketball Ireland.

Portlaoise protested to the National Appeals Committee (NCA) after Limerick's Jason Killeen hit two free throws following a foul as the buzzer sounded in the playoff match on March 23, giving his side an 80-78 win. The NCA ruled that match officials should have put a split second back on the clock and allowed play to continue and, on Tuesday, Basketball Ireland ordered the two sides to meet again to play 0.3 seconds.

But on Wednesday, Portlaoise said they could not expect their rivals to abide by the ruling, and wished them good luck for the semi-finals. "We would never ask or expect Limerick Sport Eagles, a club we hold in the highest regard, to travel to Portlaoise to play the remaining 0.3 seconds," the team said in a statement.

"It would not be in anyone's interest and would not be in keeping with the values of the game of basketball. To be clear, if we are ordered to go out on the court to play the 0.3 seconds, we will refuse to do so. "We would like to sincerely wish Limerick Sport Eagles... the best of luck for the remainder of the play-offs."

Basketball Ireland issued a statement saying that while it had followed FIBA rules, the replay of the final 0.3 seconds was not ideal for both teams and that it would not be commenting further.

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