Referees from a New Jersey high school playoff basketball contest are admitting they messed up big time ... saying they wrongfully called off a buzzer-beating bucket at the end of a game -- but they can't do anything about it.
The controversy happened at the New Jersey Sports Interscholastic Athletic Association Group 2 semifinal game between the Camden Panthers and the Manasquan Warriors on Tuesday ... a matchup that came down to the wire.
The Panthers were up by 1 with just under 6 seconds left .