Illawarra Hawks coach Justin Tatum referred to BA integrity unit after referee attack, race rant

Illawarra coach Justin Tatum is set to be investigated over his post-match referee spray which followed the farcical finish in his side’s controversial defeat to Melbourne United.

Basketball Australia’s integrity unit will probe Illawarra coach Justin Tatum’s withering referee attack after a wild night in Wollongong.

Following the Hawks 92-87 loss to Melbourne United, 201cm Tatum slammed the referees as “incompetent” and claimed they “made an example” of him because “I’m intimidating, I guess my voice too deep, I’m too tall, My skin colour is different.”

Tatum’s comments, which have been referred to BA and will be investigated under the sport’s national integrity framework, were sparked by a controversial — and farcical — late-game incident, where the American was slapped with a game-altering technical foul and United star Chris Goulding’s tendency to exaggerate contact was put on blast for a second straight game.

Goulding appeared to tweak an ankle as he fell to the floor and clutched at his foot, following some slight contact from Hawks’ tyro Will Hickey, who was assessed with a foul.

Tatum was incensed and the WIN Entertainment Centre crowd broke into a “Flop” chant.

Illawarra head coach Justin Tatum was unimpressed with the referees in the Hawks’ defeat to Melbourne United. Picture: Getty

After minutes of confusion, the entire play was rescinded — due to a scorebench bungle, where an official failed to start the shot clock.

It didn’t stop the referees from sanctioning Tatum, which allowed United to extend their lead to two possessions with 22.1 seconds left.

Tatum’s post-game press conference dripped with sarcasm and simmered with frustration.

“We’re just happy that Chris Goulding didn’t hurt himself flopping in front of us,” Tatum said.

“So I’m glad that he’s injury free but, at the end of the day, the officials, at that time, unfortunately, just made a bad decision, bad call.

“Emotions was going high at that time, because everybody in the gym thought there was a call at that time.

“Once they (referees) took the time to know the clock wasn’t going, emotions digressed, because we felt that we had a chance, we were down three.

Basketball Australia’s integrity unit will probe Tatum’s withering referee attack. Picture: Getty

“But unfortunately, we have another official who decides to want to give somebody a technical foul on emotions of the call — wasn’t disrespected as an official but … comes back a minute or two to later and gives it to us, not right then and there.

“These guys (players) get paid a lot of money. The fans pay to come in here. They want to see the players, not some incompetent referees that … (allow) their feelings at that time to dictate the game.”

Goulding, on his 36th birthday, tore the Hawks apart with 25 points on five three-pointers as the crowd booed every time he touched the ball.

ESPN reported Hawks’ owner Jared Novelly stormed out of the stadium branding Goulding a flopper, days after South East Melbourne owner Romie Chaudhari hitout at the bronzed Boomer, saying he “constantly flops and cries about it, that sh*t is weak” — a comment United coach Dean Vickerman said his squad would use as fuel next time the two rivals met.

Guess I'm not the only one who feels this way about that dude at @MelbUnited.... What does Coach Vickerman have to say now? He said he won't forget what I said, now he has to remember what these guys said, too.... He got a lot on his mind, I guess 😂😂 https://t.co/s1XhD04idB

— Romie Chaudhari (@RRome44) October 24, 2024

Chaudhari seized on the Goulding pile-on Friday morning, hitting out at Vickerman in a tweet.

“Guess I’m not the only one who feels this way about that dude at @MelbUnited .... What does coach Vickerman have to say now? He said he won’t forget what I said, now he has to remember what these guys said, too.... He got a lot on his mind, I guess.”

Asked about the discourse around Goulding, post-game, Vickerman shrugged it off, focusing on his star’s big performance in front of a hostile crowd.

“I’m not going to talk about it too much, I thought he turned an ankle a little bit,” Vickerman said.

“There was some contact, there was some things there, but he had a hell of a game.

“He was huge for us today, the way he wanted the basketball in big moments, the shots he wanted to take, and that’s the Chris Goulding that I want to talk about.

“Birthday today, so one to celebrate for him.

Originally published as Illawarra Hawks coach Justin Tatum referred to BA integrity unit after referee attack, race rant