Be the Referee: Basketball Goaltending
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
December 3, 2024
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 – Basketball Goaltending - Listen
In basketball, what’s the difference between goaltending and defensive basket interference?
Goaltending is when a defensive player touches the ball when it is on its way down toward the basket, or after the ball has hit the backboard and is in a downward trajectory towards the hoop.
Defensive basket interference is when a defender touches the rim or net while the ball is within or on the cylinder. However, if the defender touches only the net and does not affect the shot in any way, then basket interference is not called.
In both instances – goaltending and basket interference – the outcome is treated like a made basket: two points to the offense unless the shot came from behind the 3-point arc, and then it’s worth three points.
Previous 2024-25 Editions
Nov. 26: 11-Player Finals Replay - Listen
Nov. 19: 8-Player vs. 11-Player Football - Listen
Nov. 12: Back Row Setter - Listen
Nov. 5: Football OT - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Registration - Listen
Oct. 22: Volleyball Serve - Listen
Oct. 15: "You Make the Call" - Soccer Offside - Listen
Oct. 8: Roughing the Passer - Listen
Oct. 1: Abnormal Course Condition - Listen
Sept. 25: Tennis Nets - Listen
Sept. 18: Libero - Listen
Sept. 10: Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen
Performance of the Week: Detroit Cass Tech's Stevie Hall
January 9, 2026
Stevie Hall ♦ Detroit Cass Tech
Junior ♦ Basketball
The 6-foot-2 guard scored the game-winning basket in Detroit Cass Tech's 54-52 victory over Cleveland Central Catholic during the Dec. 29 Detroit Public School League Holiday Classic. He also went over 1,000 career points during that game, which he finished with 32 points, seven assists and five steals as the Technicians broke a two-game losing streak.
Hall followed that milestone a day later with 31 points in Cass Tech's 82-42 win over Macomb L'Anse Creuse North at the Motor City Roundball Classic at Ferndale, a win that gave his father and coach Steve Hall 200 leading the Technicians boys basketball program. Stevie Hall – who already has received several Division I college basketball offers – has scored 30 more more points in six straight games, and Cass Tech is 5-3.
@mhsaasports 🏀POW: Stevie Hall #CassTech #basketball #highschoolsports #performanceoftheweek #MHSAA ♬ Bright and fun upbeat pops, Kids, Animals, Pets, Fun, Cute, Happy, Playful, Upbeat(1465232) - SAKUMAMATATA
@mhsaasports 🏀POW: Stevie Hall #funfacts #tiktalk #performanceoftheweek #highschoolsports #MHSAA ♬ Girly and cute synth pop - SAKUMAMATATA
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Previous 2025-26 honorees
Dec. 18: Ethan Martha, Ishpeming Westwood basketball - Report
Dec. 11: Louis Smith, Three Rivers wrestling - Report
Dec. 4: Traverse Smith, DeWitt football - Report
Nov. 28: Elizabeth Eichbrecht, West Bloomfield swimming - Report
Nov. 20: Brady Kieff, Blanchard Montabella football - Report
Nov. 13: Ella Laupp, Battle Creek Harper Creek swimming - Report
Nov. 7: Hunter Eaton, Charlevoix cross country - Report
Oct. 31: Stephen Gollapalli, Lansing Christian tennis - Report
Oct. 23: Talya Schreiber, Pickford cross country - Report
Oct. 16: Avery Manning, Dexter golf - Report
Oct. 9: Brady Van Laecke, Hudsonville football - Report
Oct. 2: Sarah Giroux, Flat Rock volleyball - Report
Sept. 25: Sam Schumacher, Portage Central tennis - Report
Sept. 18: Kaylee Mitzel, Saline field hockey - Report
Sept. 11: Natasza Dudek, Ann Arbor Pioneer cross country - Report
Sept. 4: Kate Posey, Big Rapids golf - Report
(Action photo by Adam Sheehan. Headshot courtesy of the Cass Tech athletic department.)