I couldn’t verify the exact reason from a reliable official source, but the most likely explanation is that referee assignments are made by the NCAA for each specific round, and a mid-pack ranking like 12th does not automatically determine whether someone gets a Final Four crew spot. The public chatter around Tony Padilla suggests he was still considered for major assignments despite criticism of some calls during the tournament.

What usually decides it

  • Final Four refs are chosen by the NCAA, not by a simple public ranking list.
  • Rankings may reflect evaluation across the season, but actual assignments can also depend on experience, tournament performance, crew balance, and internal judgment.
  • That means someone ranked lower than expected can still be selected if the assigning committee values other factors more highly.

Why people were confused

  • Tony Padilla drew a lot of attention for controversial calls in tournament games, which made fans question why he would still be assigned to a marquee game.
  • The assignment list that circulated included Padilla among Final Four officials, so the surprise was more about perception than a strict “ranked 12th = excluded” rule.

Bottom line

Being ranked 12th would not necessarily block a Final Four assignment, because NCAA officiating decisions are not based on ranking alone. In practice, the selection process appears to weigh performance evaluations and assignment needs more broadly than a single public rank.

If you want, I can also turn this into a short forum-style reply with a more casual tone.