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Originally posted by BayStateRef
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I am also from Massachusetts and have been told by one of my assigners to not use the 10 second backcourt count in sub varsity games even if the shot clock is not working. We must use a shot clock in varsity games. [/B][/QUOTE]
Well...shame on me. I just read (a bit more carefully this time) the MIAA "Basketball Shot-Clock Information."
It says: An alternate timing device shall be available.
That is quite clear. So any "alternate device" would do: a stop watch, regular watch with second hand, egg timer. Whatever.
[/B][/QUOTE]
This is tricky. The MIAA makes good faith efforts to articulate 'rules', but does not subject them to casebook-like review.
Using an 'alternative device' can lead to disadvantage - for example, the crowd is loud, the official near the table can hear the count, but the player with the ball in the far corner can't.
If a team is ahead when the shot-clock fails, choosing to continue with no count can also bias the game - stall tactics become viable.
There was a time - perhaps as little as 5 years ago - when girls teams gasped at the idea of a ten second count. Now it's routinely used in off-season play when no shot-clock is used. This may be the fairest alternative. If both coaches like it . . .