Controversial ending
 

The MHSAA D3 title game ended in what can best be described as controversial fashion. The game, which featured a pair of 27-0 teams came down to the final 10 seconds. Iron Mountain (IM) HS was leading Pewamo-Westphalia (PW) 52-51. Iron Mountain broke the pressure and a pass was thrown to a wide open player who appears to take one step before making a layup with roughly 5 second left. The shot was waived off due to a traveling violation called by the center official who was near half court, not by the lead official who was underneath the basket and much closer to the play.

At this point IM has only committed 3 team fouls in the second half. The logical play is for the defense to foul with only a second or two left. PW brings the ball to roughly half court where the IM defender appears to reach for ball and grabs the PW player partially around the waist. The officials rule an intentional foul, giving PW two free throws which they sink to take the lead, and the ball out of bounds with 0.7 seconds left on the clock.

I don't know if video will be available of the ending as the MHSAA is pretty tight about videos being used on outside websites. It was controversial to say the least.

It was a great day of basketball in Michigan. The first game, D4 was a blowout. The second game was a buzzer beater as Ypsi Lincoln stunned UofD Jesuit 63-62. This was followed by the D3 IM vs PW game. The nightcap was long time Michigan power River Rouge losing by 3 to Hudsonville Unity Christian. This game came down to a pair of 3 attempts in the final 10 seconds by River Rouge, then a missed front end by UC before an off the mark 3/4 court heave by River Rouge that had the correct distance but was well off line.

Here is a link to the last few seconds of the game. You make the call.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUX8u4vWjwM

Actually, it was waived off by the trail official who was still in the backcourt and racing towards the front court from over 50 feet away with two closer officials with better and more stable looks. Not a good call to make from that position from that far....even if he were right (and I'm not saying he was).

I have watched this play now 50 times and I still can't, with 100% certainty, tell you if the player fully possessed the ball with a foot on the floor or with both feet in the air. And that's the difference between a travel and a legal play here.

So my lead's (who wasn't even off the floor for some reason) gonna live and die with this 100% of the time. There's zero chance I'm coming in to save the day from 50 feet out on a play that tight.

Everybody Get Behind The Division Line ...
 

Why did the official wave the nine black team players away from their bench area while their teammate was about to take the two free throws for the intentional foul? For free throws when there are no rebounders in the marked lane spaces the nine nonshooters have to remain behind the free throw line extended, and behind the three point arc. Almost all of the nine black team nonshooters were behind the free throw line extended. Just move the offenders behind the free throw line extended. The ten white team players were allowed to congregate at their bench area. Doesn't seem fair.

Another very good question.

Check out this article from Detroit Free Press:

MHSAA basketball bad calls in state finals can be avoided. Here's how

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/h...ls/3194470002/

It must be the end of a sports season in Michigan again: Mick McCabe wrote one of his usual Post-Season Bash the Refs articles. :rolleyes: :(

You can not like the messenger but that doesn’t mean the message is wrong. I struggle with this ending and I agree with his message on officials needing to work on their craft. I don’t know these three officials and don’t want to say they don’t but have seen enough mhsaa officials that absolutely do not do any work to try to improve and our constantly rewarded when it comes to state assignments.

The message is a bunch of crap.

A crew maybe misses one call (I am not fond of the T reaching that far over a non-elephant) and there are calls to burn it all down. I applaud the MHSAA for putting together a system to ensure the same officials aren't chosen year after year. Oh the humanity that people have to sit two years after a state assignment!

I think this was a combination bash the ref and bash the MHSAA article, and I don't disagree with either.

If I’m trail, there is no way I’m going to call the travel. That’s my partners call all the way.

And now you why I hate a team that’s up ....fouling. Make them beat you....of course that’s why I don’t coach.

I think goes to the inconsistency of fouls called in late game situations. Had IM been down 1 instead of up one, they get the call on the first or second attempt at a foul and there is no intentional foul called. I think officials call it differently when a foul is committed by the team up trying to use the fouls they have without putting a team in the line.

I think both these were "rough" and the officials that made the call will be under a lot of scrutiny, and deservedly so (I don't agree with the hate and public outcry, but the internal structure - assignor/evaluators/etc - should be the one addressing this). To make that travel call from half court or beyond, with 2 other guys with decent to good looks MUCH closer is rough.

The intentional foul.....there may be a case to be made, however it's a very lose case. At least it wasn't the same official that made both calls.

I'd rather miss a blatant travel than call one that isn't there, especially from 50+ feet away at such a crucial time.

In the end, and from my experience, expect these guys back on the same type of games next year :D.

Referee Screws U.P School Iron Mountain Out Of State Championship – Pro Sports Extra |

Buried in this article is a different camera angle of the 2 plays. Gives a much better view of the Int. Foul call...not saying it was the correct call, but does give a better view of what the ref saw.