When Michigan played Wisconsin in basketball early in the season in 1989, Michigan’s Rumeal Robinson stepped to the foul line for two shots late in the fourth quarter. His team trailed by one point, so Rumeal could regain the lead for Michigan. He missed both shots, allowing Wisconsin to upset favored Michigan.
Rumeal felt awful about costing his team the game, but his sorrow didn’t stop at the emotional level. After each practice for the rest of the season, Rumeal shot 100 extra foul shots.
Thus, Rumeal was ready when he stepped to the foul line to shoot two shots with three seconds left in overtime in the national championship game. Swish went the first shot, and swish went the second. Those shots won Michigan the national championship.
Rumeal’s repentance had been genuine, and sorrow motivated him to work so that he would never make that mistake again. Paul wrote, “Godly sorrow leads to repentance” (2 Cor. 7:10).