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Quit stalling because it’s time to pick up the pace

3 min read

America is enthralled with college and pro basketball. The up-tempo style of play creates a back-and-forth competition that has viewers on the edge of their seat until the final buzzer.

The same cannot be said for high school basketball.

Attend a WPIAL basketball game with a stopwatch and you will be amazed by how much time some teams take to set up an offensive play. The result is often scores that are fit for football or even worse, baseball. Teams hold the ball at the top of the key and it becomes a waiting game.

This is what the sport looks like without a shot clock.

A 15-point second-half lead is almost insurmountable when only one team is plays aggressively. Teams can simply stall until their opponent forces them to pass the basketball. A change would modernize the prep game and make finishes more appealing. The excitement is lost and basketball has become tedious.

When a team “takes the air” out of the basketball, the gymnasium is often filled with groans and boos. Even parents dislike watching a staring contest.

Scoring has not gone up in the eight states that adopted a shot clock, but the sample size is still too small. The numbers reflect less than one season of play.

A 35-second shot clock requires teams to adopt tighter, more effective offensive plays that rely on structure. You cannot wait around for a play to develop.

The shot clock would allow teams with less depth an opportunity to stick with a deep opponent. Kids grow up watching NCAA and NBA basketball, often imitating their idols, but high school rules put them at a disadvantage. Players are often unprepared to deal with the faster pace of college basketball because of the monontonous nature of the prep game. Adopting a shot clock would create a sense of urgency and help players develop by requiring them to make quick decisions with the basketball.

Paul Biancardi, an ESPN recruiting analyst and former college basketball coach, has been a vocal proponent for a shot clock in high school and recently said, “Players should be able to think and play at the same time.”

The shot clock would force coaches to rely on strategy instead of basic play calls. As a result, more high school players would gain knowledge on how to play the game with an intellectual approach instead of wreckless abandon.

Many AAU teams are required to play with a shot clock in tournaments to create a college-like atmosphere and place a greater need for a quick, precise style of play.

High school coaches, including those in Pennsylvania, are criticized for too often taking advantage of not having the shot clock. A team gains the lead and then its point guard stands at midcourt with the ball on their hip.

Implementing a shot clock would make for a more interesting brand of high school basketball. Pace of play is a problem. Living in the past will continue to create 31-28 “basketball” games that would put Dick Vitale to sleep.

It’s time for change.

Lance Lysowski can be reached at llysowski@observer-reporter.com.

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