DaytonDailyNews.com

Twenty four hours later, I'm still confused. And the more I think about Keith Dambrot's post-game tirade and the Mid-American Conference officials' explanations, the more muddled I become.

Everything had seemed to clear and simple when the most memorable play in Miami University basketball history unfolded.

The missed free throw. Michael Bramos getting his hands on the rebound, getting the ball to Doug Penno. The pump fake, the shot, the bank, the buzzer, the look of utter shock on Penno's face, the RedHawks racing across the court and diving on top of each other in a moment of pure joy.

I know, it must have seemed to Dambrot that at least 5 minutes had passed from the beginning of the play to its brutal end. Tragedy flows so slowly, and this was an almost epic tragedy for an Akron Zips team that had an NCAA Tournament berth in their fingers. I mean, they could feel it. And then it was gone.

Dambrot said "It's not fair to the kids if (the officials) are wrong; I just hope they're right."

His point seemed to be that the timer was slow in starting the clock. I mean, two or three seconds slow.

That turned out not to be the case.

Still, the result was nine minutes of painful uncertainty for the RedHawks, were guilty of nothing more than pulling off the most miraculous play in school history, and a second chance for the Zips.

So why did the officials put six-tenths of a second back on the clock? That's not what Dambrot wanted. He claimed the RedHawks had been given too much time. The officials seemed to be saying the timer started the clock too quickly, or else stopped the clock too quickly.

I know that's not the case. When Penno faked the first shot, there were 2.3 seconds on the clock. He took the actual shot a second later. The buzzer sounded as the ball banked off the backboard.

As far as I'm concerned, the timer had it right in the first place.

I just hope the delay and the tirade doesn't overshadow the miracle of a former walk-on hitting the kind of last-second shot every youngster dreams about, along with some other memories from Saturday.

Such as Nathan Peavy, for the second straight night, coming through in the clutch and hitting a 3-point basket when his team absolutely needed it.

Such as Tim Pollitz, playing with the kind of heart and determination for three straight days that brings back memories of Ron Harper.

Such as Michael Bramos, whose three 3-point baskets kept Miami's flickering spark alive, and whose alert play in the final 6.6 seconds enabled Penno to launch his dream shot.

This was a game to cherish. The post script just needs a little editing.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.