Controversy reigned Friday night as host Lake Braddock won its first-ever boys' Patriot District Tournament title on a shot by Bruins forward Bob Ritchie as time expired.

With the score tied at 35, Ritchie followed teammate Max Sinthorntham's miss with a short jump shot.

But as the home crowd rushed the floor in celebration, the three game officials huddled at center court to determine whether Ritchie's shot beat the buzzer and earned his team a 37-35 win.

One of the officials then approached the scorer's table. After a brief verbal exchange, the official called the basket good and quickly exited the court with the other two officials.

However, differing accounts exist as to what was said between the official that made the final call and those sitting at the scorer's table before the basket was pronounced good. Whether or not the official asked the timekeeper if the game-winning shot was released before time expired or simply told those at the scorer's table the basket was good is not clear.

Hayfield activities director Bob Chuey said he was not aware of any existing mechanism that allows for the result to be contested, but also said that ``we wouldn't protest the game even if there was."

Officials are not required to answer questions after a game.

``I think everybody saw what happened," Hayfield coach Charlie Thompson said in reference to the last shot. ``It's a shame for the kids that it comes down to simple people who can't do their simple job."

Said Lake Braddock coach Brian Metress: ``I looked up when [Ritchie] shot it and saw a .3 on the clock. Then I saw one official give the good sign."

The game-winner was Ritchie's only field goal of the game. Tournament Most Valuable Player Woody Bellamy led Lake Braddock (16-8) with 15 points and Sinthorntham added 14.

Senior captains James Steward and Chris Kardelis paced Hayfield (21-2) with 14 and 10 points, respectively.

It was the second win for Lake Braddock over Hayfield in seven days and the second game this season between the two district rivals decided on a last-second shot on the Bruins' home floor. Hayfield forward Jahmar Claxton's buzzer-beater gave the Hawks the Bookjammin' Hoops Tournament title on Dec. 29.

In the first game of the night, West Springfield's girls defeated Hayfield, 76-57, behind a potent two-point guard attack to win its fourth Patriot District Tournament title in seven years.

With starting center Janielle Dodds sidelined because of the flu, West Springfield senior Selia Monroe and freshman Laura Haskins engineered the Spartans both offensively and defensively.

Monroe - the tournament's most valuable player - gave Hayfield's guards fits, and had 10 of her 11 steals in the first half.

``We knew we had to win," said Monroe, who finished with a team-high 21 points. ``I just saw the ball and I went for it."

Despite competing in her first district tournament final, Haskins displayed the court-savvy of a veteran. She scored 14 points, grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds and dished out four assists without committing a turnover.

``They can both play the point," Spartans coach Bill Gibson said of Monroe and Haskins. ``It helps when you can have two point guards on the floor."

West Springfield (21-2) took control with a 17-4 first-quarter run over 5-minute, 18-second stretch.

But Hayfield guard Sarah Placek kept her team in the game by scoring 13 of her team-high 21 points before halftime and the Hawks cut the lead to 30-24 with 3:14 left in the second quarter on sophomore guard Tiara Davis's jumper.

West Springfield's lead then hovered around 10 points until midway through the fourth quarter. Dominique Mazzuchi's two free throws started it, and consecutive buckets by sophomore forward Kristin Kunzman (12 points) added to a late 14-3 Spartans run and a 76-55 lead with 36 seconds remaining.

Lake Braddock's Kiera Watkins and Robinson's Tiffani McCain joined Monroe, Haskins, Kunzman, Mazzuchi, Placek and Hayfield's Iyan Napier on the all-tournament team.