MPA basketball committee will look into feedback after controversial 3-pointer

The Maine Principals’ Association basketball committee will discuss the situation involving a controversial game-winning 3-pointer by Dexter’s Parker Ponte.

That shot, which occurred as time expired on the clock, gave the Tigers a 50-48 victory Feb. 22 over Central Aroostook of Mars Hill in their Class C North boys championship game at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.

The basketball committee will meet on March 27, said Mike Burnham, the executive director of the Maine Principals Association.

While game officials ruled the shot good, photos and videos seemed to indicate the shot may have been released after the clock reached 0:00. Some observers said it was released with time still on the clock.

Maine is one of 26 states among 43 member state associations that does not have a provision for using a video replay monitor according to a survey conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

“We have received some correspondence about it and the basketball committee always discusses [various correspondences] at the meeting as it should,” Burnham said. “It will be one of several topics discussed.

“They always review the tournaments after they’re over,” Burnham added. 

The NFHS provides for member states to use an instant replay monitor for basketball during state championship series contests and only with 0:00 showing on the game clock at the end of regulation play or overtime, to determine whether a shot is a 2-pointer or 3-pointer or whether the shot was released before time expired.

According to published reports, Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Indiana, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and West Virginia use replay only for state championship games.

Michigan, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin use replay for state finals and semifinals, while Hawaii, New Mexico and North Dakota have replay for the finals, semifinals and early-round games.