Coach tries to steal ball in waning seconds of French basketball game
A basketball coach for Rouen, a team in the second-tier of France's Ligue Nationale de Basket, took a move from the Woody Hayes playbook to a new level in a down-to-the-wire game against Boulogne Sur Mer over the weekend.
With about two seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, the score tied at 84 and Rouen defending the ball, head coach Laurent Sciarra literally tried to take matters into his own hands. The guard for Boulogne dribbled the ball toward the elbow and then backed out after Rouen's defense collapsed on him. The guard then dribbled out towards Sciarra by the sideline and that's when the coach made a mistake that cost his team the game.
Despite the fact that the ref was standing right next to him, Sciarra tried to steal the ball from the opposing player but was caught in the act. He received a technical with .8 seconds remaining, sending Boulogne to the free throw line, and Rouen lost the game by two points.
Footage of the play can be seen below at the :25 mark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GKPUntjJO6k
