An Experiment

[chseagle]

Now I know why a 10-sec. BC usually ends up with the 35-sec. shot clock showing 22-24 seconds.

Originally Posted by fiasco

Had a game the other week where I had a 5-second call on an in-bounds play. As I was running by the bench, coach said "Felt like your count was a little fast."

So, that night, I went home and did an experiment to time my count. I used a stopwatch, started it, and without looking at it, did a 10-second count.

Come to find out, if anything, my count is too slow, by about a second and a half.

So, last Saturday, I recorded a few college basketball games and used my stopwatch to time a few officials' counts. Some officials were taking two whole seconds to make one count. Almost everyone's counts were too slow.

I did the same at a few high school games that I observed this week. Same result. Most officials take between 1.25 to 2 seconds to make one count.

Try it. Take a stopwatch, start it, do a 10-second count as you would during the game, and stop the stopwatch. Look at the result. Whatcha got??? When I did it, I got 13 seconds.

[TimTaylor]

Originally Posted by chseagle

Now I know why a 10-sec. BC usually ends up with the 35-sec. shot clock showing 22-24 seconds.

Not necessarily. When do you start the shot clock?

[chseagle]

As stated by the shot clock instructions

The ball is legally touched by a player inbounds.

Originally Posted by TimTaylor

Not necessarily. When do you start the shot clock?

Anywho, it was meant as a joke hence why the EEK face afterwards.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by chseagle

As stated by the shot clock instructions

The ball is legally touched by a player inbounds.

His point is that the backcourt count starts at a different time than the shot clock.

[TimTaylor]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

His point is that the backcourt count starts at a different time than the shot clock.

Yep - the 10 second count doesn't start until team control is established.

[refiator]

I love doing this test when training new officials. Have them all line up, close their eyes, and begin the 10 second count. It is amazing to see the differences...and you are right. The majority take 15-20 seconds.

[chseagle]

Snaq, I was seeing the meaning.

Unfortunately how many coaches see it the same way as officials?

Most coaches think 10-secs. off the clock in the BC=Violation.

I seen a couple of situations like that last year where the shot clock went from 35 to 25 & no FC status with the coach requesting a violation be called.

Generally I've noticed there's about 1-2 sec. difference between the clock & the official's count.

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

His point is that the backcourt count starts at a different time than the shot clock.