Be the Referee: Pregame Dunks
By
Sam Davis
MHSAA Director of Officials
December 13, 2022
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 – Pregame Dunks - Listen
Both basketball teams are on the court warming up before the game starts. All three officials are on the floor, as teams are in their traditional lay-up lines.
In an attempt to get their fans fired up, a player for the home team dunks it when it’s his turn in line, followed by a teammate also dunking one.
Can they do that? What’s the call?
Once the officials are on the floor, as they are in this example, they should assess a technical foul to any player who dunks in pregame warmups. In this case, the visiting team would receive four free throws to start the game – two for each dunking violation – and would start with possession. The technical fouls would also count as personal fouls and count towards the team foul count. And the head coach would receive an indirect technical foul.
Dunking or grabbing the rim during warmups is not allowed.
Previous Editions:
Dec. 6: Gymnastics Judges - Listen
Nov. 22: Football Finals Replay - Listen
Nov. 15: Back Row Illegal Blocker - Listen
Nov. 8: Swim Turn Judges - Listen
Nov. 1: Soccer Referee Jersey Colors - Listen
Oct. 25: Cross Country Tie-Breaker - Listen
Oct. 18: Soccer Shootouts - Listen
Oct. 11: Safety in End Zone - Listen
Oct. 4: Football Overtime Penalty - Listen
Sept. 27: Kickoff Goal - Listen
Sept. 20: Soccer Timing - Listen
Sept. 13: Volleyball Replays - Listen
Sept. 6: Switching Sides - Listen
Aug. 30: Play Clock - Listen
Aug. 23: Intentional Grounding Change - Listen
What's My Why: Official Sam Davis
July 15, 2026
Sam Davis, Lansing
Davis serves as the MHSAA Director of Officials and has been on staff since 2017, and previously taught and worked as a school administrator for 32 years and in law enforcement for more than a decade. He also recently completed his 46th year as an MHSAA-registered official and has long been considered one of the state's best on the mat. He received the MHSAA's Vern L. Norris Leadership in Officiating Award in 2015.
When I leave the office, the opportunity to go out and be on the mat …
To watch the competition.
To feel the cheers and the excitement from the crowd.
To work with my colleagues.
To impart rules and regulations.
To make sure kids are safe.
To get paid.
What a great opportunity. I enjoy – no, I love – officiating.
“What’s My Why” is a weekly feature telling the stories of MHSAA-registered officials in their own words. If you’re an MHSAA official and would like to share your reason why, please submit a 15 to 45-second video, taken horizontally, to director of officials Sam Davis at [email protected].
Don't miss Officiate Michigan Day 2026, July 25 in Grand Rapids! Check out MHSAA.com/OMD to register and learn more.
What's My Why
July 9: Candace Cox, Quincy - Watch
July 1: Robert Williams, Redford - Watch
June 24: Will Godfrey, Jackson - Watch
June 19: Jarrett Skorup, Midland - Watch
June 12: Brady Driver, Sturgis - Watch
June 8: Cindy Tyzo, West Bloomfield - Watch
June 3: Jeff Spedoske, DeWitt - Watch
June 1: Mike Carrier, Commerce Township - Watch
May 27: Stan Wright, Warren - Watch
May 26: Murray Rose, Zeeland - Watch
May 22: Mike VanLaan, Alto - Watch
May 18: Clint Abbott, Newaygo - Watch