Series of Articles on NFHS Proposals

[Pantherdreams]

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

The wireless shot-clock thing? Bad idea. Wireless clocks, IMO, are more trouble than they're worth.

You can go cheap on shot-clocks - as many NYC schools do - but when they're not linked to the game clock you have to worry about two people starting/stopping timing devices: the game clock operator and the shot-clock operator. Again, IMO, more trouble than it's worth and I deal with it on the HS level every year.

Improving player development? 3% of HS players go on to play any form of collegiate basketball. Essentially the shot-clock is "developing" the 97% who go on to play...intramural basketball or rec ball.

Again I'm not saying its great for officials. But worrying about stopping the game to correct table errors, more things for us to track, etc is not an impact on the quality or growth of the game its a job performance issue for the only people being paid to be there in a lot of cases. I don't think there is any good argument from an officials stand point to consider adding shot clocks. The shot clock is more of a fan/player/coach growth and change in the game sort of thing.

You are improving and developing players to have better player with a better experience and understanding of the sport. The 97% that don't go on to play at a higher level still end up being coaches, citizens, officials, fans, and workers. Would you rather have basketball developed their decision making, manipulative skills, love of sport, communicationetc do the greatest degree the rules and situation allow? If having to play more players, shoot more shots, make more decisions communicate and problem solve on their own more often improves the players and capacity and reslienece of the people that makes more sense to do it.

But as you say from a simple logistics point, its not a problem that needs solving and may cause more problems. In terms of how many games are stall ball low scoring games very few. But I can tell that in the NFHS girls/guys games I do across the border. The pace of the games is lower/slower then the FIBA games I do with the 24-8. I also know that if a key player in an NFHS game gets in foul trouble or has to sit for rest; suddenly the sets become noticeably more deliberate and start to chew up 30-40 seconds, even whole minutes if they are trying to get to the end of the quarter up or down a certain margin with Sally or Joe out of the game. Also at the end of games you get into a 4th quarter down 12 or into the last for minutes up 6-8 or less I can almost assure you that its time to consider getting out and fouling because they might not stall entirely but you definitely aren't getting enough possessions to get back in the game just getting stops unless you start being perfect from the field.

I'm not saying thats bad but in the games I do with the 24 unless its a blowout teams are playing, attacking and creating/running their stuff to score every possession until you are basically under a minute before you need to start consdering fouling or making dramatic tactical changes. Games can have more swings and turns of momentum which (as an official) has no impact on me but as a parent/coach/fan seems better for the kids involved.