[ChuckElias]

Ok, a few comments.

As Rich mentioned, we use halves up here in MA. Additionally, we do not use 30-second TO's. To make up for not using the 30's, we give each team an additional full TO. And to make up for not using the mandatory TO at the 8:00 mark of each half, we give each team an additional full TO. So each team ends up with 5 60-second TO's per game.

That's a lot, but as missinglink pointed out, they rarely all get used. "Rarely" may be strong; but we usually do not grant 10 TO's in a game.

Having said all that, I really like halves. I think it keeps the game flowing. It eliminates two last-second situations per game (although we also use the shot-clock in MA, so that adds last-second situations). And since the coaches get an extra TO, if they feel they need that extra "teaching moment" in the middle of the half, they can take it. It actually gives the coach more flexibility, b/c they can take the extra TO anytime, not just at the 8:00 mark. They can "bank" it for late in the game. I don't see any down-side to halves at all.

I don't care at all about the rules about positioning on the lane; except that I would not like to see the NCAAW rule adopted. Go to the NBA rule before the NCAAW, in my opinion. Why? I just don't like it. I would also like it if they went back to entering the lane on the release.

I am adamantly opposed to removing the closely-guarded rule. As I've said before, the closely-guarded rule is not intended to reward the defense. It is intended to require the offense to play a team game. If you allow one person to dribble the ball for 45 seconds until they "break down" their defender(s), you remove the element of team play. You get NBA-wannabes trying every shake-n-bake move and forgetting about passing. And this is true regardless of whether or not a shot-clock is used. Give the kid 5 seconds to make his move to the basket or give it up. Even the NBA has come to realize that in some situations, a 5-second closely-guarded count is necessary. It's the "back-to-the-basket" rule. My vote is (staunchly) in favor of keeping the closely guarded rule exactly the way it is.

I like the shot clock for most varsity games. It's pretty silly to use it at the Freshman level, IMO. Varsity teams should be able to run a play and get a shot off in 30 or 35 seconds. But at lower levels (even JV, in some areas) the skill may not be there to run a play successfully the first or even second time through. They should have all the time they need to practice their offense, since that's essentially what Freshman and JV programs are.

The drawback is, of course, that many many many shot clock operators have no idea how to run the shot clock correctly. I've posted my pre-game instructions for the shot-clock operator before, but without the search function, I have no idea where the thread is.

Ok, now onto the soapbox. FED should adopt the NCAA "point of interruption" procedure for technical fouls. FED should adopt some form of the NCAA "team control" foul. FED should adopt the NBA's rule that only players on the floor may request a TO.