The game of basketball has been blessed with many friends but a select group can call themselves a friend and ambassador. Ray Tebbe is among that select group.

 

A 1970 graduate of Batesville High School, Tebbe played three seasons of varsity basketball for the Bulldogs but his true calling out on the court would come 11 years later when he would begin his journey as a basketball official. Three years later, in 1984,Tebbe officiated his first varsity basketball game, a contest between Elkhart Central and Concord which featured future NBA All-Star Shawn Kemp. Six years later, Ray was on the floor and in stripes when Indiana hoops legend Damon Bailey broke the state’s career scoring record at the 1990 boys basketball regional at Seymour. Both moments have always been regarded by Ray as some of his fondest memories as an official.

 

And Tebbe has had plenty to choose from after serving as an official for 31 years in both basketball and football. During that span, he has officiated 28 basketball state tournaments, six boys basketball state finals, three girls basketball state finals, three football state finals and has served on officiating crews for five Hall of Fame Classic Tournaments at New Castle. He was also an official for the 1999 NCAA Division III Football National Championship. Given those credentials, it is no surprise that Ray was named the IHSAA’s Official of the Year for the 1996-1997 school year, received the Roy Gardner Award from the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association in 2012 and was an Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Center Circle recipient in 2015.

 

Ray served as president of the Indiana Officials Association in 1991 and 1992. A graduate of Ball State University and a former educator Shelbyville, Tebbe spent many years in the daytime as an operations manager at Carrier Corp. He and his wife Denise have been married for over 40 years and have two daughters, Karen and Sara. We thank Ray for his service to high school athletics.