LASKER – It’s not every game that a technical foul is issued, but it’s even rarer to see one after time has expired on the clock.

That’s just what happened Thursday night as the Lady Rams of Ridgecroft played Halifax during the Greater Lasker Shootout.

With time expired and Halifax claiming a 52-50 win, Halifax’s coach continued to argue with the officials over a call he felt they missed.

The referee whistled an technical foul, sending Ridgecroft to the line with no time and down two points.

The Rams were unable to convert the shots and Halifax escaped with the victory.

That was just the ending of what had been a wild fourth quarter.

It was an intense, physical match-up that saw each team fall behind only to fight back for the lead.

After trading baskets, Ridgecroft closed within two (48-46) when Jo Revelle Murray hit a shot just inside the arc. Whitney Rightmyer’s layup was answered by Green to keep Ridgecroft within two.

With 27 seconds remaining, Murray caused a Halifax turnover then scored the basket to tie the game at 50 with just 16 seconds on the clock.

The Rams were whistled for a foul and Williams converted 1-of-2 foul shots to break the tie, giving Halifax a 51-50 lead.

Rams’ coach Doug Cobbs was called for a technical foul after complaining the clock started before play resumed. The clock should have been stopped with 5.6 seconds to play, but showed 4.5 seconds despite there being no active play after the free throws.

Hux sank the front end of two shots to give the Vikings a two-point lead and the ball.

Halifax inbounded the ball, but the Rams defense forced the player over the line, giving Ridgecroft a chance with 1.5 seconds on the clock.

They were unable to make a basket, but the technical gave the Rams one last opportunity to steal the game.

Ridgecroft jumped out to a 7-0 lead after baskets by Jo Revelle Murray, Hayes Bryant and Green.

Jodi Williams hit a Halifax jumper and Chloe Conner sank a foul shot to cut the Rams lead to four.

Green took two steals to the hoop, extending the Rams lead to eight (11-3).

The teams traded baskets over the final minutes of the first as Ridgecroft took a 15-10 lead into the second.

Halifax’s Rightmyer sank a trey and Kristin Hux’s basket and two foul shots gave Halifax a 17-15 advantage.

Stephanie Northcott’s putback tied the score at 17 but Conner hit a Halifax three-pointer to put the Vikings back out front.

At the end of the quarter, Halifax clung to a three point lead (29-26).

Green stole the ball in the Halifax backcourt and took it coast-to-coast for the basket, cutting the Halifax lead to one (29-28) to start the third.

Williams’ bucket was answered by Lauren Lilley but Halifax scored 10 unanswered points to extend their lead to 11 (41-30).

Bryant converted a free throw and April Piland scored two to send Ridgecroft into the fourth quarter trailing 41-33.

&uot;We didn’t take advantage of a lot of opportunities,&uot; Ridgecroft head coach Doug Cobbs said.

&uot;We couldn’t convert at the free throw line and weren’t attacking the basket.&uot;

The Rams were 12 of 25 from the line and shot 28% on the night.

Green led the Rams with 19 points and seven rebounds.

Halifax (52): Kristin Hux-19, Jodi Williams-18, W. Rightmyer-7, C. Conner-4, B. Traylor-2, S. Long-2

Ridgecroft (50): Sarah Beth Green-19, Jo Revelle Murray-10, H. Bryant-9, S. Northcott-7, A. Piland-3, L. Lilley-2