Could also be a shout out to the Tennessee High School Association.

When the Riverdale High School and Smyrna High School (Tenn.) girls basketball teams met in the District 7-AAA consolation game Saturday night, facing them were a perverse set of incentives. The winner would be on track to face national power Blackman in the semifinals of the Region 4-AAA playoffs, while the loser wouldn't meet Blackman until the finals (assuming they made it that far).

Crucially, two and only two teams from the region advance to the state sectionals. If they assumed they would lose to Blackman—both teams already had once this season—the only way to advance to the state sectionals was to lose in the consolation game and be placed on the opposite side of the bracket as Blackman. So, both teams intentionally tried to lose. Via The Daily News Journal:

In the report, the referee noted that Riverdale "missed 12-16 free throws intentionally." And that Smyrna "wouldn't get the ball across the half-court line to get a 10-second count or to make us call an over and back violation intentionally."

The referee said "one time a Riverdale girl looked at one of the officials and gave the official a 3-second signal wanting him to call three seconds on her. Smyrna stood in the lane as well to have us call three seconds on them."

The referee wrote that he finally called the coaches together for a meeting after "a Smyrna player was about to attempt a shot at the wrong basket (but there was a 10-second violation call before they attempted the shot) on purpose.

"That was when I called both coaches together and told them we are not going to make a travesty or mockery of the game. WE ARE NOT GOING TO START TRYING TO SHOOT AND SCORE FOR THE OTHER TEAM."

Smyrna "won" the game 55-29, after ripping off a 25-4 run in the final four minutes. A school administrator approached Smyrna coach Shawn Middleton when his team up only 30-25, and asked why the starters weren't in. When the administrator didn't receive a satisfactory answer they told Middleton "you need to play to win the ball game and stop this." Middleton put his starters back in, and Smyrna ran away with the game.

Riverdale's "victory" (by losing) was short lived, as the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association kicked both teams out of the postseason today. The principals from both schools attempted to argue that only the coaches should be in trouble, but the TSSAA cited players intentionally missing shots, causing backcourt violations, and asking for three seconds called on themselves as evidence that they weren't mere pawns in their respective coach's scheme. Both schools were put on probation through next school year as well, and were fined $1,500.

"The bottom line is as a coach you make decisions in the heat of the game," [Middleton] said. "No way would I do it again."

No kidding.

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The TSSAA President Bernard Childress is my mom's neighbor, if the schools don't fire these coaches, then they should be fired themselves.

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2018
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10 More Wins

moral of story: dont try to learn anything by watching the bears.

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.

Sounds like every women's basketball game ever, except this horrible play was intentional.

Blame the rules, not the coaches or players. They should never be setup to reward a team for losing.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

The Blackman always wins

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

I don't have an issue with it. They should have sold it better though.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Really?

I would have put money on the game and shaved points.

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The ref should be fired
Not his job to tell coaches how to coach their teams

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I would assume there is something in his job description about the integrity of the game etc.

Refs have to write reports after every game about the coaches, the play, etc.. He was in his rights to put that information in there. Also, I am sure he heard it talked about on the floor.

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2018
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Yeah. You have professional teams taking tanking at the end of a season to get a favorable playoff matchup.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Well then these players should also be paid at least 6 figures.

I would hope that youth and high school sports that wouldn't appear in, but clearly I have false hope. Just sad.

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2018
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Winning and advancing is important. As soon as we stop acting like kids and their coaches shouldn't care about it I think we all will feel better.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Got it.

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2018
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One of the teams should of just forfeited before the game then.

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Consistently putting forth your best effort (teaching kids to do that) and respecting the game is more important in youth sports.

I almost fell for it RPB, don't do it.

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2018
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I dont think Nas is trolling but even if he is, I dont mind

There are exceptions to nearly every rule. Putting forth your best effort is generally the way to go. However when you can gain an advantage by not trying hard then you should do that. Kids aren't stupid. Sports in many ways teaches kids about the real world. You need effort and a strategy to succeed.

At what point does something like this become acceptable? College? Pros? We've celebrated when others have done it and even suggested our favorite sports teams should lose to gain an advantage but now we criticize the same actions when they are done by high school kids. I have no problem with the schools trying to get the easiest path to a championship.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

I'm not.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Was that an option?

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

The. Regular. Season. Doesn't. Matter.

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I dont think it's ever ok to try to lose a game.

Its one thing to play young guys and see what you have or try new systems etc.

I just think intentionally shooting at the other team's basket, crosses the line. Along with a adult who is in charge going along with this.

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2018
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10 More Wins

RPB I disagree with you. In the pros it's done to get a better draft pick or a more favorable playoff matchup. If the Bears went into the last week of the season needing to lose for the right to draft a player like Andrew Luck or Aaron Rodgers we would go crazy if they won the game. We just had this debate in the Bulls section about them trying to avoid the Cavs in the 2nd round.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

They should have just committed suicide before the game. Winning in high school sports is that important.

This is where I actually agree with you. You can try to lose a game without going into extremely silly mode. The scoring in the other teams basket was just ridiculous.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

I would feel the same way about the Bears. Play the backups, but dont intentionally lose.