There’s not a ton of new information about it, but the hometown (for IPFW) Fort Wayne News Sentinel ran a story about the ejection. It looks from this like it really was all about arguing that in/out call. The News Sentinel gives no details that I didn’t have by watching the match. Ponnet got the ace, Ball complained, called time, and then he was red-carded. Grand Canyon’s stat ticker recorded the automatic point (for the yellow card) as a second ace for Ponnet — I’m not sure it actually goes in the books that way, but there was probably no easier way for their live stats to record it, considering that even yellow cards are relatively rare. Ball was last ejected from a match six seasons ago, in a match against the Ball State Cardinals.
Ball seemed equal parts bewildered and pissed as he exited the court after the red card, and I’m with him on the bewildered. I’ve never seen anyone have such a hair trigger to be on the receiving end of a red card (because, as I believe I mentioned, this was the first I’d ever seen one assessed). Not anyone. Not a rank freshman, not a second-year assistant. And surely not Coach Arnie Ball. If we’re talking legendary coaches, it’s Al Scates, and then it’s Arnie Ball. Or maybe Al Scates-Marv Dunphy-Arnie Ball. Would Scates or Dunphy have gotten this kind of treatment? God I hope not. It’s making me want to track down just who were the officials in this match, and that’s not really something I usually care about.
IPFW draw Sacred Heart and Penn State next week.
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