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OT: Iowa High School basketball shot clock?

Feb 25, 2008
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Figured I'd take this debate over here since Iowa Preps is deader than the New England Patriots' dynasty. ;)

One big debate that is not dead, right now, is the topic of bringing the shot clock to Iowa High School basketball.

From what I've seen and read, more people in the public are for it, than against, however, logistical issues, first and foremost, (among other concerns) have kept State officials from really pushing for this to become a reality any time soon.

I, personally, do not think a shot clock is needed for the high school varsity level in Iowa, and do not foresee it coming within the next 5 years even.

I won't rule out the possibility that it may become a reality in the future, but it definitely won't be the near-future.

And yes, such a change would need to be incorporated for both boys AND girls basketball, and as a coach I can tell you that girls basketball does NOT need a shot clock and would NOT benefit from it either. And you all can deal with that, if you disagree. :)


With that said, what are your off topic (not HROT) thoughts on this subject?
 
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How about state tournament only, to see what it does at the highest level.
The problem with that is that the State tournament is not the time to experiment with something teams have not used all year.

If anything, it is something that would need to be experimented with in summer and winter scrimmages.

I was told that a few games at a weekend in-season tournament in Iowa utilized a shot clock. In the 3 games I was told of, the highest score was 60 points, and was actually that team's lowest amount of points scored in a win so far this season.....
 
The problem with that is that the State tournament is not the time to experiment with something teams have not used all year.

If anything, it is something that would need to be experimented with in summer and winter scrimmages.

I was told that a few games at a weekend in-season tournament in Iowa utilized a shot clock. In the 3 games I was told of, the highest score was 60 points, and was actually that team's lowest amount of points scored in a win so far this season.....

as a longtime official......it’s needed
 
100% for it. The straw that broke the camels back for me was watching Kennedy play City in girls basketball somewhere around 2008. It was a substate final and a fantastic game until overtime.

Kennedy won the tip and City already had 10 fouls. Kennedy stood at half court with the ball the entire OT. Called timeout with 15 seconds, scored, won.

I was disgusted... good strategy to win but that's disrespecting the game.
 
Always an interesting discussion. Eight states and D.C. currently have a shot clock in high school basketball:

California
Maryland
Massachusetts
New York
North Dakota
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Washington
District of Columbia

I believe in the Dakotas, only the highest classes in those states use the shot clock.
 
They should. You always hear about costs but if you give the small schools 3-5 years to fundraise, they’d be able to pay for it.

Valley had no business beating IC West in the title game a few years ago but did the delay thing and won. Totally legal but also not basketball.
 
It is much needed and long overdue. Just had to witness a brutal game the other night because of no shot clock.

Our boys team is really good and we were on the road playing a subpar team. They held the ball for 2:48 on the first possession before finally taking a shot. I don't blame them, that was their only chance to win, but it's ridiculous.
 
They should. You always hear about costs but if you give the small schools 3-5 years to fundraise, they’d be able to pay for it.

Valley had no business beating IC West in the title game a few years ago but did the delay thing and won. Totally legal but also not basketball.
Yes it is basketball.
Facing teams with differing styles is a big part of the game. At my school, we ran an up tempo offense and rarely rotated the ball around the court more than once before we took a shot. We played teams that loved to take the air out of the ball and it drove us nuts. Sometimes they managed to take us out of our rhythm and we lost. It made us better players.
The reason college and the NBA have shot clocks is for television. The four-corners offense is boring. Dean Smith and North Carolina used to run it to perfection, but television took away that part of who they were after the 1979 UNC-Duke game that was 7-0 at halftime. The 45 second clock was instituted a few years later.
I think there is still room in the game for a variety of playing styles. Coaches should be free to play to their team’s strengths and away from their weaknesses. High school is supposed to be about the kids and not a TV ratings, like college and the NBA.
 
I'll need some help with this, but I seem to remember Iowa played Michigan St. back in 1977, or 78 may be, and the Spartans held the ball the entire first half. I think the score at halftime was something like 10-9.
 
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I'll need some help with this, but I seem to remember Iowa played Michigan St. back in 1977, or 78 may be, and the Spartans held the ball the entire first half. I think the score at halftime was something like 10-9.
Yes, and at Iowa. I think the final score was 23-20. Think it was 1979.
 
I remember a Minnesota game going like that, and we were running 4 corners as much as them.

One of the local high schools has maybe their best talent ever, but the head coach is a slow-it-down, set-it-up, milk-the-clock guy. Problems arise when playing an up-tempo team and the game gets away.
 
Sure there are diffring styles but this is 2020 and the small schools would need some help but they all have football score boards.
 
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I don't see it a lot, but I have seen games where a team wasn't all that interested in putting up shots.

Overall, I'm all for it, but I can see issues. My son and daughter both played against HS teams whose talent level was barely at the Jr High level. For instance, our HS team won a game a week or two ago by nearly 70, the starters played about 3 minutes of the second half. My daughter's team won a game last year by 60, the other team scored single digits. Look up an average North Linn game.
Maybe turn the shot clock off if the game goes to a running clock? A team that bad doesn't need the other putting being forced to put shots up.
 
Absolutely needed and give me a break with funds being an issue. If you can afford new football facilities and field turf, you can afford 2 shot clocks.

Maybe not for bigger schools, but funds are definitely an issue for many 1A schools. Don't get me wrong, it can be done, but it would have to be a "1A will implement in 3 years" kind of thing. Our HS could probably afford to do it next year, there are a least a few schools in our conference that would struggle to get them in 2-3 years.
 
I’d like to get rid of the qtrs and go to 16 minute halves with a 40 second shot clock. I’d say the majority of teams in high school ball, even poor ones can get a shot in 40 seconds.
 
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The used shot clocks at the Wells Fargo Arena Showcase in Cedar Rapids this year. Barring the minor issues, I feel they changed the game for the better in the 4th quarter
 
Just out of curiosity, has anyone looked at the prices for good shot clocks? I know it’s not just a clock at each end of the court; there has to be some controls at the scorers desk.

$1000-2500 or more?

I believe they also would have to have the lighted backboards, which is an additional cost.
 
I’d like to get rid of the qtrs and go to 16 minute halves with a 40 second shot clock. I’d say the majority of teams in high school ball, even poor ones can get a shot in 40 seconds.

I actually really like the idea of going to halves. AAU ball plays halves, summer leagues play halves, fall leagues play halves...
 
I actually really like the idea of going to halves. AAU ball plays halves, summer leagues play halves, fall leagues play halves...
Well, should college ball stay at halves?

I've heard both arguments. College fans want Qtrs because NBA....

People want halves for high school because college has halves......


So, ehhhhh......what do you really want?
 
Btw, I know I've chimed in a bit, but I could give you all a whole list of reasons why it is not needed (right now).

I just wanted to give you guys a chance to get a conversation going. :D
 
Iowa-Michigan State 8-6 Halftime 1980
Who needs a shot clock? Actually, it was a raucous first half. The crowd definitely had something to say.
 
Top-ranked Iowa City High girls just scored 53 in the first half, going on to beat sixth-ranked Prairie 85-53.
53 point in a 16 minute half translates to 66 points in a college half.
 
Well, should college ball stay at halves?

I've heard both arguments. College fans want Qtrs because NBA....

People want halves for high school because college has halves......


So, ehhhhh......what do you really want?

Honestly, given how the TV timeouts work, I'd rather the NCAA go to quarters and give 1 TV TO per. With how likely that is, line up HS with college and go to halves. I'd prefer halves even in CBB, except for the 4 extra TOs for TV, those aren't an issue in HS ball.
 
It is definitely needed. The issue, from what I have been told, is far less to do with cost and more to do with finding volunteers to run them. I am good friends with an AD who’s school has had a great deal of success in boy’s basketball. He told me a lot of schools and the smaller level have a hard enough time finding help to do books, run the clock, etc let alone run a shot clock.

I live in CF and the boys have won the last 2 4A titles. The 4A level needed a shot clock years ago and wish they would implement it. The pace of play can be tough to watch and money/volunteers wouldn’t be an issue.
 
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I dont watch any high school basketball anymore, but i remember teams like Pleasant Valley, dribbling for minutes at a time. Really stupid to have high school teams scoring in the 30s
 
It is definitely needed. The issue, from what I have been told, is far less to do with cost and more to do with finding volunteers to run them. I am good friends with an AD who’s school has had a great deal of success in boy’s basketball. He told me a lot of schools and the smaller level have a hard enough time finding help to do books, run the clock, etc let alone run a shot clock.

I live in CF and the boys have won the last 2 4A titles. The 4A level needed a shot clock years ago and wish they would implement it. The pace of play can be tough to watch and money/volunteers wouldn’t be an issue.
4A could obviously get away with it, but the State doesn't want to cater to one class, especially if there still the possibility of 4A teams playing smaller classes, which in some cases is unavoidable, or necessary in order for teams to fill out their schedule.

They don't want cases where one game you use a shot clock and certain others you don't.

It needs to be a uniform change, and that includes girls as well.

And yes, one of the other main concerns is finding reliable people to operate a shot clock and understand the rules. That's also one more person at the score table, which is usually already crowded.
 
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I dont watch any high school basketball anymore, but i remember teams like Pleasant Valley, dribbling for minutes at a time. Really stupid to have high school teams scoring in the 30s
I agree, but sometimes teams don't have a choice, and scoring 30 would be considered a successful evening............;)
 
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4A could obviously get away with it, but the State doesn't want to cater to one class, especially if there still the possibility of 4A teams playing smaller classes, which in some cases is unavoidable, or necessary in order for teams to fill out their schedule.

They don't want cases where one game you use a shot clock and certain others you don't.

It needs to be a uniform change, and that includes girls as well.

And yes, one of the other main concerns is finding reliable people to operate a shot clock and understand the rules. That's also one more person at the score table, which is usually already crowded.

Agreed but that is the hangup. The big schools likely wouldn’t have an issue. But go to Denver, Wapsie, or dozens of other small schools where you are begging for volunteers and then add another thankless job. The argument is that if the Dakotas can do it, why can’t we?
 
Agreed but that is the hangup. The big schools likely wouldn’t have an issue. But go to Denver, Wapsie, or dozens of other small schools where you are begging for volunteers and then add another thankless job. The argument is that if the Dakotas can do it, why can’t we?
As mentioned, it's only at the highest class in the Dakotas.
 
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They should. You always hear about costs but if you give the small schools 3-5 years to fundraise, they’d be able to pay for it.

Valley had no business beating IC West in the title game a few years ago but did the delay thing and won. Totally legal but also not basketball.
The lardasses in Boone can and should pay for it.

I have no idea what $6 a person goes to once tournament starts. That’s a shit load of money. It’s not like they are giving away millions in scholarships.
 
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