It’s that special time of year where all eyes turn from March Madness and high school coaches around the country can step back and think about how to improve our great game. The shot-clock debate is not a new one but has officially shown up on the April GHSA agenda for a vote for the first time I know of. Thanks to Coach Rory Welsh at Langston Hughes @LHughesHoops for getting it on the agenda!!
I’m not going to really argue for or against it. I surveyed an extensive list of Georgia coaches a couple years back and was surprised to find out that over 70% favored, strongly favored, or at least did not oppose a shot clock.
This article does a good job summarizing the debate.
Slow is better than no. You CAN but you don’t have to. Per GHSA rules, if it is voted down this year it will be another two years before it can come up again. The primary question on yes or no for the executive board is “how”? I believe that as coaches we’ve usually asked for a yes or no on the shot clock in conversations before we’ve laid out a clear plan for how it would be done and the uncertainty combined with real objections on cost and operation have led to a default “no”.
I’ve laid out a 3 year phase in that would free schools up to use it next season and give others the option to phase in slowly or even not at all based on their region, school, and budgetary needs. We could, as coaches, revisit this or alter it, but I thought it would be a good jumping off point in discussing with our athletic directors and region representatives.
Jesse McMillan laid out a list of who they are last week. It’s available on the GHSA site.
2019-2020
- Allow home teams to play with a shot clock if the opponent agrees out of region. Tournaments and showcases can do either they’d like and teams would know going in.
- Allow regions to play with a shot clock in league play and their tournament or tournament only if they prefer.
- Sub-Varsity games can follow the same guidelines. They’re not required to play with a shot clock to save money.
- The state tournament will still be played without the shot clock giving teams a full year to budget for and install it as well as adjust strategy for it.
2020-2021
1. Allow home teams to play with a shot clock if the opponent agrees out of region. Tournaments and showcases can do either they’d like and teams would know going in.
2. Allow regions to play with a shot clock in league play and their tournament or tournament only if they prefer.
3. Sub-Varsity games can follow the same guidelines. They’re not required to play with a shot clock to save money.
4. The state tournament from 3rd round forward will be played with a shot clock insuring the facility has the equipment to do so. If 3rd round sites are kept like this past year that will be the case.
2021-2022
1. Allow home teams to play with a shot clock if the opponent agrees out of region. Tournaments and showcases can do either they’d like and teams would know going in.
2. Allow regions to play with a shot clock in league play and their tournament or tournament only if they prefer.
3. Sub-Varsity games can follow the same guidelines. They’re not required to play with a shot clock to save money.
4. All region tournament and state tournament games will be played with a shot clock. Should the host team not have equipment to do so, they will default to the other school that does or find a nearby gym that does.
2022-2023
Re-evaluate state-wide to see what adjustments need to be made.
I’m assuming the proposal involves a 35 second clock. Haven’t seen that written down.
This plan allows for regions to adapt a bit to their needs. It allows the schools that can afford and want to play with a shot clock the freedom to do so. It insures at the region and state level that we get all the benefits to the shot clock while allowing schools more time to budget and train for it’s use in the regular season.
Please contact your AD’s and region reps before the meetings on 4/14 and 4/15.
Pass on your thoughts on the charge circle as well. That’s an easier fix that could be put in for play next season.
As basketball regions, it would be great to let them know your collective opinion as well if you could.
Don’t @ me with pro or con points on WHETHER we should have it. I can play either way and there’s plenty of that on Twitter!! This is to start a discussion on HOW it can be done in the best way. Feel free to pass on suggestions on the implementation to my twitter, to Rory, GACA, Atlanta Tip-Off club, the more we discuss, the better.
Thanks for your time!!
P.S.
Also, there’s a common objection I hear that isn’t accurate i don’t believe. Just my thoughts on it.
“It takes more money to pay someone to work the clock, we can barely get people to do it now.”
Most scoreboard consoles come with a shot clock button already on it. If you don’t have that you can upgrade when they are installed. It doesn’t take another person, all you have to do is push the button when the ball hits the rim. This is signaled by the official. Not someone’s call from the table. Most scoring a errors I’ve seen come from the score keeper not paying attention due to long scoring drought. If they are running the shot clock they know there’s something to record every possession. Many clocks can be equipped with a handheld button so the score keeper can keep their eyes up and just reset without finding it on the console
WE COULD REQUIRE A 2nd SHOT CLOCK OPERATOR IN TOURNAMENT PLAY AS WELL AS BY REGION.
Coach Crump 