NFHS Shot Clock Guidelines ...

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

So why not put them together if using the shot clock? I think this was very intentional on the part of the NF. You would almost have to create two separate rules in the rulebook for something not used in many cases.

Agree that the shot clock and ten second count should probably be used together (accuracy and similar to other rule sets familiar to many basketball stakeholders).

But if one is going to use the shot clock to "count" ten seconds (as it appears the NFHS want us to do) it's going to require some type of change in the existing ten second rule:

9-8: A player must not be, nor may his/her team be, in continuous control of the ball which is in his/her backcourt for 10 seconds.

4-2: A player is in control of the ball when he/she is holding or dribbling a live ball. A team is in control of the ball: When a player of the team is in control.

With no rule change there is a possibility of this worst case scenario.

State high school championship final game. Shot clock used. Team B 65, Team A 64. Fourth period. Fifteen seconds left in game. Both teams come out of a timeout. Team A, with no timeouts remaining, inbounds in their backcourt. Inbounder A1 passes to A2, who muffs (shot clock legally start on inbounds touch) the ball away, but eventuality, after two seconds pass (with deflections but no control by both teams), secures control of the ball by holding it and the begins to dribble. Facing strong defensive pressure in his backcourt, A2 is still in his backcourt when the shot clock is at 25 seconds (game clock at five seconds) and the trail official calls a ten second violation on Team A. Team A head coach politely argues that Team A only had "control" of the ball for approximately eight seconds (proven after game on videotape) in the backcourt, quoting 9-8 and 4-2, and should not have had the ten second violation called, depriving Team A of a chance to win the game.