Weird running clock rule?
 

Lots of the rec leagues I work use running clock. Usually, the clock will stop in the last two minutes of the game if the point differential is ten or less. That's fairly common, and the reasoning is obvious. However, one of the spring leagues I'm working also goes to stop clock in the last minute of the first half regardless of the score.

Any of you guys ever have this situation? I'm not sure why they do this. Comments?

I've seen it both ways. 1st and 2nd half or just 2nd half. Usually, if they do it in the 1st half, it's not contingent on the score.

I work a couple leagues like that, I guess they want the players to get their moneys worth. Summer tourneys are pretty expensive!! I wonder who's reaping the reward? :rolleyes:

Doesnt matter though, I am still running the game in 50 minutes or less :D

In a rec league I ran 10 or so years ago, I instituted this rule. I hadn't seen it done before but I observed an issue that needed addressing.

Situation: Competitive game that is likely to go down to the wire. Team A is fouled with approximately 1-2 minutes to go on the clock....running clock. Under normal circumstances and pace, the reporting and FTs would have been done with a reasonable amount of time remaining on the clock...probably 20-30 seconds or more. The shooting team SLOWLY came to the FT line and took the entire 10 seconds. Their goal was to make sure the clock ran out before they final FT was completed. They didn't want to allow the other team a possession. The other team complained but there was not much I could do...it wasn't so much that any "action" was warranted. The team was just taking advantage of the rules.

Since I ran the league, I instituted a rule change the next game....stop clock in the first half for the last 30 seconds no matter the score to prevent unusual and unfair clock manipulation.

It may be that my idea spread or someone else had a similar thought....I'll claim credit! :)

I see your point, Camron. Thanks.

Our rec league has the 20 minute running clock which stops only on shooting fouls, time outs, and on every whistle with two minutes to go in the game (not first half). Three minute OTs (doesn't matter for Mark's games). ;)

Spring BV league I'm dong now has a 20 minute running clock which starts when the player receives the ball on the second of his two FT's.

Every running clock rec league I've ever worked has the clock running during free throws. The only time it stops (except for the end of halves) is for timeouts. In fact, when we come out of a timeout, the clock starts when the ball becomes live (handed to the thrower-in or to a free thrower), not when it's touched inbounds on a throw in like in a standard stop clock game.