If you’ve become jaded by the endless barrage of NBA dunk highlights, we don’t blame you. We also suggest you watch this video.
In the first quarter of a Colorado girl’s high school basketball game between Regis Jesuit (Aurora, Colo.) High School and Grand Junction, Regis Jesuit forward Fran Belibi stole an errant pass at midcourt and proceeded to make history.
First Colorado HS Girls Dunk in history. Fran Belibi 15 yr old soph. Regis Jesuit HS #SCtop10 @coloradopreps @9NEWSSports @COSportsNetwork pic.twitter.com/793MFUtsEF
— RJHS Girls Basketball (@regisjesuitgbb) January 7, 2017
Belibi’s impressive one-handed dunk was the first known dunk by a female player in Colorado high school basketball history. It wasn’t just any slam, either: The 6-foot-1 sophomore threw this down with some serious authority. (Click here for a higher-quality version.)
The historic dunk caused such a ruckus that Regis Jesuit head coach Carl Mattei had to call a timeout to settle things down. Belibi, whom Mattei had seen dunk with a tennis ball in practice, insisted the play was a spur-of-the-moment decision.
“I don’t know, I just did it,” the 15-year-old told the Aurora Sentinel after the game. “I didn’t realize it went in until I heard the crowd and heard the snap (of the rim). Then I definitely heard my teammates. I think the crowd definitely understands the importance behind it — the first girl to dunk — but it was completely unexpected. Girls don’t dunk.”
Not until Friday night, anyway.
