Moment: Fisher Sinks Last-Second Score

March 25, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The 2019 Division 1 basketball tournament will be remembered forever for the play of freshman Emoni Bates, who led Ypsilanti Lincoln to its first MHSAA championship in the sport with memorable performance after memorable performance.

But the game-winning moment of the March 16, 2019, championship game belonged to senior teammate Jalen Fisher, who beat the buzzer with a putback to give the Railsplitters a 64-62 win over Detroit U-D Jesuit.

Lincoln coach Jesse Davis said after he knew Fisher’s time would come. "At the beginning of this game, I just told (Fisher) to be patient, your time is coming man, be patient,” Davis said. “During the timeouts I said, ‘Jalen be patient, your time is coming.’ I didn’t know it was going to come like that, but I’m glad it happened to him, because I believed in him the whole time.”

Click to read Second Half's coverage – Lincoln Beats Buzzer for 1st Basketball Title – and relive the shot below with coverage 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