Air Horn Saves the Day After Buzzer Malfunction at Elite 8 Game

Veteran NBA arena staff member uses old-school solution to keep game on track during 11-minute delay.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 12:03am

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After a buzzer malfunction caused an 11-minute delay during Saturday's Elite Eight game between Iowa and Illinois at Toyota Center in Houston, officials sitting courtside resorted to an old-fashioned solution - air horns. Kevin Johnson, who has worked as a game clock operator for the Houston Rockets for 25 years, grabbed two blue-and-white air horns to signal timeouts, substitutions and the end of each half when the scoreboard and horn remained inoperable for the second half.

Why it matters

Malfunctions with arena equipment can cause significant delays in high-stakes NCAA tournament games, disrupting the flow and momentum. The resourcefulness of veteran arena staff like Johnson in using manual backup tools demonstrates the importance of having experienced professionals on hand to keep the game running smoothly, even in the face of unexpected technical issues.

The details

When the buzzer malfunction occurred, Johnson relayed a message to an employee to fetch the two emergency air horns kept on hand just in case. He and fellow longtime Rockets staffer Larry Stick, the shot clock operator, said similar issues have happened before at NBA games, though rarely. At NBA games, they normally control the horn by flipping a switch on a Tissot handset, but that unit broke during the delay. With the scoreboard and horn still not working for the second half, Johnson returned to his seat, put down his drink, and positioned the air horn in front of him, ready to use it to keep the game on track.

  • The buzzer malfunction occurred during the first half of Saturday's Elite Eight game between Iowa and Illinois at Toyota Center in Houston.
  • The delay lasted 11 minutes.

The players

Kevin Johnson

A 25-year veteran game clock operator for the Houston Rockets who used air horns to signal timeouts, substitutions and the end of each half when the scoreboard and horn remained inoperable during the second half of the Elite Eight game.

Larry Stick

The longtime shot clock operator who worked the NCAA regional games in Houston along with the rest of the Rockets' regular scorer's table crew.

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What they’re saying

“'They tried to go up and they were going to cut (the scoreboard) off. I said, 'OK in the meantime, just get the air horns out here in case there's a problem,'”

— Kevin Johnson, Game clock operator

“'Got to stay ready,'”

— Kevin Johnson, Game clock operator

What’s next

The NCAA will likely review the buzzer malfunction incident and evaluate any necessary upgrades or backup systems to prevent similar delays in future tournament games.

The takeaway

The resourcefulness of veteran arena staff like Johnson in using manual backup tools like air horns demonstrates the importance of having experienced professionals on hand to keep high-stakes games running smoothly, even in the face of unexpected technical issues that could otherwise significantly disrupt the flow and momentum of the action.