NFHS View of Shot Clock

[Tim C]

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (May 8, 2012) — Participation and fan interest in high school basketball remain strong throughout the nation, and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Basketball Rules Committee voted to retain one aspect of the sport that makes it unique from other levels of play.

At its April 16-18 meeting in Indianapolis, the committee considered a proposal to add a shot clock to the high school rules but agreed that the sport played by about one million boys and girls in approximately 18,000 high schools is functioning well without it.

Although a shot clock has been employed at the college level for many years, results of the questionnaire that is sent to coaches, officials and state association administrators across the country did not indicate a strong desire to use the clock at the high school level.

“In addition to the fact that there is some concern about the costs associated with the use of a shot clock, the committee also expressed a belief that the game is typically played with an up-tempo style even without a shot clock,” said Kent Summers, director of performing arts and sports at the NFHS. “In addition, the committee believes that coaches should have the option of a slower-paced game if they believe it makes their team more competitive in specific situations. This could be especially true for smaller schools with limited budgets, which comprise a significant number of the 18,000 basketball-playing schools. Since the NFHS writes rules for all sizes of schools and teams, it has to consider what is best for the masses.”

The committee did approve one rule change and two major editorial changes, which subsequently were approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

Rule 2-12 will now require the official scorer to wear a black-and-white vertically striped garment. Previously, this was a recommendation for schools.

“The players, coaches and officials need to be able to quickly and easily identify the official scorer, and making this a requirement should assist in that regard,” Summers said.

One of the editorial revisions approved by the committee concerns changes made last year in a team-control foul. The following language will be added to Rule 4-19-7: “ . . . including a member of the throw-in team from the start of the throw-in until player control is obtained inbounds.”

The committee noted that the team-control rule change last season introduced an unnecessary level of complexity to a number of rules. This additional language will allow all rules affected by the team-control definition change last season to revert to previous verbiage.

The other editorial change is Rule 2-2-4, which expands the timeframe for state associations to intercede in the event of unusual incidents from after a game, to before and during a contest.

In addition, the Basketball Rules Committee approved four points of emphasis for the 2012-13 season: 1) closely guarded situations, 2) contact above the shoulders, 3) intentional fouls and 4) guidelines to enforce illegal contact. Points of emphasis are specific rules that need more attention by players, coaches and officials.

Basketball is the second-most popular sport for girls and third-most popular for boys at the high school level, according to the 2010-11 High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS, with 438,933 girls and 545,844 boys participating nationwide. The sport ranks first in school sponsorship of girls and boys teams with 17,767 schools sponsoring the sport for girls and 18,150 sponsoring the sport for boys.

[rockyroad]

I would tend to agree with the committee about the shot clock in boys games. Washington State has a 35 second clock for boys and a 30 second for girls. It really was not a factor in any of the boys games I worked or watched this season as most of the boys teams play very up-tempo ball (whether they have the skill to or not). On the girls side, I like it. It can lead to some pretty lopsided scores, but in most cases that would happen even without the clock. It keeps girls teams from getting a 9 or 10 point lead and then stalling (see the Oregon State Championship game).

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

I would tend to agree with the committee about the shot clock in boys games. Washington State has a 35 second clock for boys and a 30 second for girls. It really was not a factor in any of the boys games I worked or watched this season as most of the boys teams play very up-tempo ball (whether they have the skill to or not).

A survey showed that a shot occurs in high school basketball once every 16 seconds (though I'm sure that includes put-backs). I still maintain that a shot clock isn't necessary, and I'm glad we don't have to deal with one.

Still, there are fans who scream for a shot clock every single time there's stall ball in a tournament game -- which are televised here. We had one in February that went into double OT, and for six of the eight minutes, the ball was on someone's hip.

As for the rule change, I wonder how much we'll be told to enforce that at the sub-varsity level. Fashion Police: Table Precinct.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by bainsey

As for the rule change, I wonder how much we'll be told to enforce that at the sub-varsity level. Fashion Police: Table Precinct.

My guess is not at all. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that this will be ignored in many areas of the country.

[APG]

Originally Posted by Welpe

My guess is not at all. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that this will be ignored in many areas of the country.

Really, I'd guess this would be ignored outright at all levels...including varsity.

As far as the shot clock, I would just have it be something that can be used by state adoption.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by AllPurposeGamer

Really, I'd guess this would be ignored outright at all levels...including varsity.

As far as the shot clock, I would just have it be something that can be used by state adoption.

And what is going to be the remedy? If they do not have a shirt what the heck are we going to be able to do about it in the first place? Nice little change I guess, but not enforceable on many levels.

And here is the problem with state adoption, it puts those states in jeopardy to have influence on rules in the NF. Not sure everyone is jumping on board to eliminate their influence. I think that is the reason it is not adopted here.

Peace

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Welpe

My guess is not at all. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that this will be ignored in many areas of the country.

Here, like in many areas, there are a lot of official scorers who have been working these games since the Nixon administration. I doubt we'll be able to enforce this even in the varsity games. It'll be interesting to see, however.

[BillyMac]

chseagle will now get his wish.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by bainsey

A survey showed that a shot occurs in high school basketball once every 16 seconds (though I'm sure that includes put-backs).

Did that survey include girls games? Or was it just in boys games?

As far as the scorer wearing the striped shirt - it's pretty simple: the AD of the school needs to buy a striped shirt and keep it with their table gear in the closet (or wherever they keep it). The scorer shows up for the Varsity game and it's sitting there waiting.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Did that survey include girls games? Or was it just in boys games?

I doubt it. People even here try to act like girl's and boy's basketball is the same anyway. So why would we expect in this politically correct world to think that people would try to consider that things are actually different in basketball by gender?

Peace

[Bad Zebra]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I doubt it. People even here try to act like girl's and boy's basketball is the same anyway. So why would we expect in this politically correct world to think that people would try to consider that things are actually different in basketball by gender?

Peace

It's a Title IX world and we're just pawns in the game.

[Scuba_ref]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Did that survey include girls games? Or was it just in boys games?

As far as the scorer wearing the striped shirt - it's pretty simple: the AD of the school needs to buy a striped shirt and keep it with their table gear in the closet (or wherever they keep it). The scorer shows up for the Varsity game and it's sitting there waiting.

To really understand the implication of having or not having a shot clock the survey should have been two surveys - one for schools not using a shot clock and another for schools that are using a shot clock. I bet that 16 seconds number goes up a little.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Scuba_ref

To really understand the implication of having or not having a shot clock the survey should have been two surveys - one for schools not using a shot clock and another for schools that are using a shot clock. I bet that 16 seconds number goes up a little.

Maybe, but in my career, I've worked only one game with a shot clock (JV college women's game), and the rest of them I've only had a half dozen games that involved any prolonged stall tactic. Most of them imploded, and none of them lasted more than a couple of minutes.

It seems to me the number of games in which this takes place is so small that it's not really a problem. IOW, it's a solution in search of a problem.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Scuba_ref

To really understand the implication of having or not having a shot clock the survey should have been two surveys - one for schools not using a shot clock and another for schools that are using a shot clock. I bet that 16 seconds number goes up a little.

My guess is that the NFHS only surveyed states that use NFHS rules (i.e., no shot clock). Even if it didn't, the number of states using a shot clock is very small....not enough to substantially affect the average.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by bainsey

A survey showed that a shot occurs in high school basketball once every 16 seconds (though I'm sure that includes put-backs). I still maintain that a shot clock isn't necessary, and I'm glad we don't have to deal with one.

Still, there are fans who scream for a shot clock every single time there's stall ball in a tournament game -- which are televised here. We had one in February that went into double OT, and for six of the eight minutes, the ball was on someone's hip.

As for the rule change, I wonder how much we'll be told to enforce that at the sub-varsity level. Fashion Police: Table Precinct.

The shot clock would largely not affect most possessions of most games...but would be there to limit the extremes. Make it 45 seconds so most teams are unaffected by it at all but short enough to prevent true stall ball.