Moment: Wilburn Winner Caps Comeback

April 20, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The 1999 Class B championship game clash of Detroit Country Day and Flint Powers Catholic finished with one of the most memorable game-winning shots in Michigan high school girls basketball history – and started a string of three straight MHSAA Finals matchups between the titans.

Kim Wilburn’s driving buzzer beater capped a fourth-quarter comeback for the Yellowjackets, who came back from seven points down in the final period to win 49-47.

Wilburn finished with game highs of 21 points, nine rebounds and eight steals. Just a sophomore at the time, she later starred at Ohio State. Powers was paced with 18 points and eight rebounds by then-junior Kelly Koerber, who later starred at Western Michigan.

Below is the full-length broadcast including the awards ceremony from FOX Sports Detroit.

Be the Referee: Goaltending

January 23, 2020

This week, MHSAA assistant director Brent Rice clears up misconceptions concerning backboards and basketball goaltending.

Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

Below is this week's segment - Goaltending - Listen

One of the most misunderstood rules in basketball has to do with the backboard and goaltending.

Simply put, the backboard has nothing to do with goaltending. Goaltending is contacting the ball on its downward flight, with a chance to go in, while above the cylinder. On most layups, the ball is still going up after contacting the backboard. It’s legal to pin the ball against the backboard if it’s still on the way up and not in the cylinder above the basket.

Slapping the backboard is neither basket interference nor goaltending. A technical may be assessed when a player strikes the backboard so forcefully it cannot be ignored, but simply slapping the backboard in an attempt to block a shot is neither a violation nor a technical foul.


Past editions

Jan. 16: Wrestling Tie-Breaker - Listen
Jan. 9: Pregame Meeting - Listen
Dec. 19: Alternating Possession - Listen
Dec. 12: Ratings - Listen
Dec. 5: Video Review Success - Listen
Nov. 28: 
More Injury Time - Listen
Nov. 21: Football Review - Listen
Nov. 14: Sideline Safety - Listen
Nov. 7: Officials Playlist - Listen
Oct. 31: Most Important Line - Listen
Oct. 24: Automatic 1st Downs - Listen
Oct. 17: Catch Momentum - Listen
Oct. 10: Golf Rules Changes - Listen
Oct. 3: No Tackle Box - Listen
Sept. 26: You Make the Overtime Call - Listen
Sept. 19: Swimming Finishing Touch - Listen
Sept. 12: Curbing Gamesmanship By Substitution - Listen
Sept. 5: Football Safety Rules Changes - Listen
Aug. 29: 40-Second Play Clock - Listen