Lynx head coach, Cheryl Reeve sounds off on officiating after WNBA finals loss

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (KMSP) - After a heartbreaking loss against the L.A. Sparks, Lynx head coach, Cheryl Reeve praised her own team for their performance and the Sparks on their win in her postgame press conference. Reeve then went on to criticize the league’s officiating after Sparks forward, Nneka Ogwumike’s shot appeared to have come after the shot clock had expired.

With 1:14 left in the game and the game tied 71-71, Ogwumike made a jump shot from 6 feet, but the video replay showed she didn’t release the ball before the shot clock expired – which means, the basket should not have counted.

Two WNBA officials signaled for a review, but the ball continued up the floor without a whistle.

“It’s really unfortunate that players continually put themselves out there, playing and competing at a really high level. “ Reeve said. “The game today… it’s not fair to the players, it’s not enough to just apologize and send out a memo that they got something wrong... these players are so invested and something must be done  about the officiating in this league, because it is not fair to these great players that we have.”

This is the Sparks’ first WNBA championship since 2002.

On Friday, Renne Brown WNBA Chief of Basketball Operations and Player Relations released this statement,

"After reviewing the postgame video, we have determined that Nneka Ogwumike's shot with 1:14 remaining in regulation time should not have counted due to a shot-clock violation, and that the referees improperly failed to review the play under the instant replay rules."