BSports.org

 
CONCRETE, WA - As the weather starts to get warmer, the frost on your windows is now dew, and all of us have to mow our lawns on a weekly basis; the WIAA has put out an interesting change that will affect how boys’ basketball is played. The WIAA has adopted a 35 second shot clock for the 2009-2010 seasons and beyond.

Prior to the past two seasons, head coaches have been required to take an on-line rules clinic which took the place of pre-season meetings with local officials (another subject for another time) to discuss rule changes and emphasis. This year at the conclusion of the clinic the boys’ coaches were given a questionnaire regarding the implementation of a shot clock. The results favored the change 2 to 1. This gave reason to believe that the change was going to happen at the April 2009 WIAA meeting.

Having discussed this issue with coaches from all classifications throughout the state the two most common complaints regarding the shot clock are that the WIAA is attempting to fix something that isn’t broken and that the shot clock will take away the opportunity for less talent teams to compete. I feel that both arguments have legitimacy but that neither outweighs the advantages of the shot clock implementation.

The “If it wasn’t broke why fix it” argument against the shot clock can be answered with another question, why is there a shot clock in every other level of play save for high school boys?” Why is there a game clock in football on each and every play and not just clock stopping plays? The shot clock will be a building block for each player’s future basketball aspirations. Just like in education, the job of a coach is to prepare each player, to the best of their ability, for the next level. The addition of the shot clock now puts the high school game on the same level as the college game, something that will only help those players who play at the collegiate level. One argument, especially from many of the smaller classifications, is that there are very few players that will be able to compete at the next level. This is correct with many of the lower classifications but there are a group of players from each district that get the chance to go on to the next level. This number increases as we get higher in classifications. If the implementation of the shot clock was for the kids, as I believe it was, then it will prove to assist in their basketball development.

The second pervasive comment as regards taking away the ability of less talent teams to compete, in my opinion, is a non-issue. The same strategy will apply that was utilized prior to the shot clock and that is to limit possessions. Teams can still “hold” the ball for the entire shot clock, thus slowing the game. What is guaranteed by the shot clock is a more equitable possession balance which ultimately will mean that the team who has the most effective possessions will gain the advantage. This will make less talented teams be even more disciplined and place more attention to detail when they have the ball.

The strategy of the game for coaches will change as well. Coaches will need to develop inbounds plays that can be effectively run when there is little or no time left on the shot clock. Also, the use of a soft press to burn minutes off of the shot clock may be utilized more. You will see more scramble defenses to trap the ball when an opposing player gets it late in the clock to force turnovers. There are many variables that I can see changing but I do not see the tempo of the game decreasing since one of the top scoring teams in the nation year in and year out in men’s college basketball plays a matchup zone. I know as a coach I am looking forward to the extra situations that one may see during the period of the game.

Is the Ten Second Violation for Girls Basketball next?