It is time! And this is a double entendre.\u00a0 It is time to introduce a play clock in Pennsylvania high school basketball.\u00a0 In other words, it is time for time!\u00a0 There are currently eight states that use the shot clock in high school.\u00a0 They are California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Rhode Island, and Washington.\u00a0 Some use a 35-second clock and some use a 30-second clock.<\/p>\n
I am in favor of a 35-second clock similar to what the men use in college basketball.\u00a0 Some of the reasons it has been opposed are: 1) it takes away strategy from the coaches to slow the game down against a more formidable opponent; 2) the governing body that oversees the rules (National Federation of State High School Associations) has not adopted the shot clock; 3) this rule would burden schools with another piece of equipment to purchase and more personnel needed to operate the equipment; 4) a shot clock erodes many of the fundamentals of playing the game; 5) there would be more lopsided scores if the weaker teams had to speed up the pace.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s look at these reasons one by one:
\n1) \u00a035 seconds is plenty of time to run your offense, utilize your game plan, and reward the defense if they stop you. If there is a reward for a well-run offense (a score), then there should be an equal reward for the defense if they stop the offense.<\/p>\n
2) \u00a0Eight states HAVE adopted the rule and it works very well for them. In fact, all, for the most part, have said that the rule did not change the game much at all.\u00a0 The rule did, however, eliminate \u201cstall ball\u201d, a fan\u2019s nightmare.<\/p>\n
3) \u00a0I have no defense for this argument. The cost for the equipment ranges from $2,000-$5,000.\u00a0 When you add to that the installation, the wiring and the extra worker at the scorer\u2019s table, the investment is high.\u00a0 Most schools have used sponsorships for their scoreboards.\u00a0 Perhaps a similar sales pitch would work here.<\/p>\n
4) \u00a0This argument is often used, but a team still has to pass, dribble, run an offense, set screens, make shots, etc. What fundamentals are missing here?\u00a0 Shouldn\u2019t defending for a set period of time also be a fundamental?<\/p>\n
5) \u00a0It is the rare team that uses the \u201cstall\u201d tactic now and most use it because they feel that is the only way their good team will beat a superior team. Poor teams cannot hold the ball for minutes on end.<\/p>\n
I do not want this piece to reflect at all on the AAAA championship game that was played between Whitehall and Parkland on Saturday night.\u00a0 Parkland is the best boys\u2019 team in the area.\u00a0 I do not think anyone would argue.\u00a0 Whitehall is a good team.\u00a0 On Saturday, Whitehall did not stall, but they did try to limit Parkland\u2019s possessions so they could be in a position to win the game at the end.\u00a0 It was the perfect strategy.\u00a0 Parkland won anyway and I do not believe a shot clock would have had any effect on the way this particular game was played.<\/p>\n
But the game needs to be played.\u00a0 A 35-second play clock would insure that.<\/p>\n
ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)<\/strong><\/p>\n