Shot Clock Implementation Coming For All NSAA Basketball Classes

LINCOLN--What started as an experiment in Class A Basketball games three years ago, expanded to Class B this season, and now all six Classes will be implementing a shot clock in NSAA High School Basketball games.

The proposal was approved last Thursday at the NSAA's monthly meeting after a previous vote had only District V rejecting the proposal. Although it seemed that only C-1 and C-2 would join with Classes A and B's implementation of the shot clock, all Classes will participate in the change. At last month's meeting, NSAA Assistant Director Jon Dolliver was given the green-light to start informing schools of the impending change, in order to give the schools time to order and install the clocks. The change will affect approximately 200 schools in Nebraska.

There are concerns about the availability of shot clocks and their costs, and finding a dedicated person to operate the clock. Currently, the shot clock has been set for 35 seconds during games where it has been used. The estimated costs of the clocks have run between $3,500 and $7,100.

Local coaches have sounded off about the shot clock implementation, with mostly positive responses. Sidney Red Raider Head Coach Austin Lewis said, "I'm for it, and I put in a proposal for it in District 6. I think overall it will keep moving the game forward to where we are nationally. More and more states are adopting it. I will say I don't even think you will notice it most of the time with a 35 second clock."

Potter Dix Coyote Head Coach Cory Michelman gave his opinion, saying, "After coaching basketball for nearly 25 years, the game has obviously had many rules changes.  The main pro of adding a shot clock is speeding up the pace of play.  The intention of this is to make the game more entertaining for fans.  As a coach, however, I feel that sometimes being able to control the ball and essentially play keep away, is a strategy that may be needed to win games.  The cons to having a shot clock, to me, are more administrative.  Finding game day help at small schools is sometimes challenging now.  The addition of the shot clock will require one more person to help, usually a volunteer.  The initial cost to install the system is also well over $4000, which is an added expense in a time when budgets are tight."

Leyton Lady Warrior Head Coach Jed Benish said, "I am kind of on the fence about the shot clock.  I thought that it wouldn't really influence my team much because we are quick to shoot the ball.  But honestly in the recent Paxton and Hay Springs games, we burned a bunch of time at the end of those games.   I really don't think the smaller schools should have it though from a stand point of money and people to manage it."

Regardless of opinions, it looks like the shot clock is coming, for better or worse. Schools will need to find the funding for the equipment, and volunteers to operate the clocks. Whether or not the shot clock will make much of a difference in the pace of the game is still a question, but like most rule changes, a few seasons from now most will have forgotten that there was a time when there wasn't a shot clock in the high school game.