BRUNSWICK — Logan Gray watched Saturday afternoon’s game from the bench. The Brunswick senior wore a Creamsicle-orange suit instead of the Dragons’ home white uniform, and sat alongside assistant coaches throughout the 61-43 win over Skowhegan. Gray was serving a one-game suspension after getting a pair of technical fouls in Brunswick’s previous game at Freeport on Thursday.

In that game against the Falcons, Gray inadvertently became the face of the ongoing debate in Maine high school basketball. When is a dunk too much?

Gray’s first dunk at Freeport came exactly one minute into the game. After stealing the ball, Gray drives to the basket, a pair of Freeport defenders and a teammate trailing close behind. He hangs on the rim for a second, and the official is there on the baseline, blowing his whistle and bringing his hands together to form the T that no player or coach wants to see.

The second dunk comes with just over two minutes left in the first half. Again, Gray steals the ball and drives to the hoop uncontested. You can see he knows the dunk is coming. Everyone in the gym knows the dunk is coming. Gray leaps, brings the ball behind his head with both hands, and — BOOM — flushes it through the net with all the strength in his 6-foot-4 body like it needed to be there yesterday.

This is an athlete using the physical gifts awarded him through genetic luck and practice to their fullest. For a moment, it is basketball passion on full display.

The ball is rolling into the corner of the gym as the same official who issued technical one is blowing his whistle again. Passion bursts like a popped balloon.

Saturday afternoon, minutes after the one-game suspension that comes with a pair of technical fouls ended, Gray was contrite. He said all the right things.

“You’re not allowed to hang on the rims in Maine basketball. I mean, that’s just the rule. The ref made the right call,” he said. “I probably shouldn’t have hung on the rim. I won’t do that again, that’s for sure.”

This is another one of those times where the spirit of the rule and its application veer off in opposite directions.

We have a way of taking high school sports too seriously, as if there’s a sanctity that needs to protected. Please. The life lessons taught by high school sports revolve around competing with dignity and giving your best no matter the situation. The lessons shouldn’t include “there’s always somebody eager to strip away your joy.” That’s learned enough places.

TJ Halliday has been a high school basketball official for more than 30 years. He knows the rules better than anyone in Maine. He’s the state rules interpreter and handles rule changes for the IAABO (International Association of Approved Basketball Officials). Hanging on the rim is a no-no, Halliday said, with a few exceptions designed for player safety. If there are players under the basket, the dunker may hang for a second rather than come down on somebody’s head, rather than risk injury to themselves or another player.

On the two dunks Gray was penalized for Thursday, players are around the basket, but the official determined nobody was underneath or close enough to be a safety risk.

“It’s a judgment call for them, and we know that. It’s a pretty subjective call. It’s got to be a hard call. … At the end of the day, officiating’s hard, and it’s a split-second decision. We get that,” said Brunswick boys basketball coach Ben Clark. “I’m not saying I agree with the call, because I didn’t agree with it. I certainly would like to see that be a play on. I think it’s an exciting play for the game of basketball.”

The solution is simple. Err on the side of the kid. Was there an obvious taunt? A roar, a finger wagged toward the opponent, or a chest thump? If yes, blow the whistle. That’s not up for debate.

No? Play on. Let the crowd’s reaction be the only reaction. In neither of Gray’s dunks at Freeport did he exhibit anything unsporting.

Gray likes to dunk because it’s a spark, for his team and its fans. High school basketball is an emotional game played by teenagers, and Clark is rightfully inclined to let positive emotion run unfettered. In that regard, Maine needs progress, Clark said.

Along with an explanation of the rule, Halliday shared a video of Gray dunking in a game at Morse earlier this season. Another fast break, and after the slam, Gray hangs on the rim, his legs swinging before he drops to the court and hustles to get back on defense. Watch it over and over, and try to figure out how it was different from the dunks at Freeport that earned technical fouls.

It wasn’t.

The dunk at Morse drew cheers, and play went on.