More on unbelievable ending to WPIAL playoff game

By Mike White | Sunday, Feb. 22, 2010, 8:05 a.m.

A few more thoughts on the surreal ending to the Monessen-Laurel WPIAL Class AA playoff game on Saturday. You can watch it on YouTube at the address below.

But let's set the scene: Monessen is leading by a point with 0.6 second left in the game and has the ball out of bounds. I haven't timed it with a stop watch, but it is a little hard to believe the Laurel player can tip the ball, pick it up and shoot it in 0.6 second. Maybe he did. I wish I had a stop watch to see. Remember, the clock doesn't start until the ball is touched and the clock doesn't start until the official, in this case under the basket, puts his hand down. By the way, the Laurel hero is Mike Natale.

This is one of the more bizarre finishes to a game - playoffs or not. But here is what is even more unbelievable. I just found this out reading a story by Joe Sager in the New Castle News. Before this play, Monessen was inbounding the ball the first time with 0.6 second left when Laurel was called for an intentional foul. But Monessen missed both free throws. Wow!