It seems like an everyday discussion on Twitter or a viral video, in which the author pleads that we need a shot clock in the high school game.
It is easy to say that we need a piece of technology to change the game but also, we usually make statements without the proper research and change of infrastructure that it takes in order to obtain a necessity that we need.
As a whole, we are not ready for shot clocks. Basketball as a sport is becoming one of the more popular sports in Texas but also, the sport faces more challenges that coaches are trying to fix and for some smaller communities, concession stand workers are hard to come by, let alone workers for the scores table, which will be a battle to find a volunteer to operate the shot clock and the small amount of time the operator has to be educated to know how to operate the shot clock.
We also face a finance issue in the smaller classifications, which will be a challenge. Fans will say that it should be implemented in the bigger classifications but what if a team plays up where Team X has the shot clock implemented and Team Y doesn’t. What game parameters will be set where both coaches will be happy with the outcome? Should both teams play at a neutral site where a shot clock is already in place?
As aforementioned, basketball still has room to grow in the state but as the state media, we are still struggling with score reporting, as some areas are not as familiar with local media nor have an outlet to report scores to. A current issue that girls’ basketball is facing is attempting to increase attendance at games and what coaches are trying to do to increase attendance. The sport definitely has room to grow as basketball is gaining new fans every day and some are getting a feel for a game. On the girls side, implementing a shot clock in girls basketball will do more harm than good. The game speed is currently at a pace where an average fan can keep up, but just barely. Speeding up the game will increase the game speed but also, increasing the speed will come at the cost of losing fans. For now, all attention should be focused on getting more fans in the gym.
In football, we have the use of instant replay only at the state championship games. Last year, we saw the first use of the monitor at the state tournament in the 3A state championship. Bringing in a shot clock will also have moments where if a player released a shot on time prior to the clock hitting zero. In these instances, a monitor will need to be present in order to review the play. If shot clocks come in play, we will also need the use of instant replay at gyms. If we can’t get monitors, we should not get a shot clock.
If you recall, there were three tournaments that had a shot clock implemented in the tournament for the weekend. Now, all of these tournaments, the Gene Messer Shootout, the Cowtown Classic, and another boys tournament, are all boys tournaments. We have no knowledge of what a shot clock will do in the girls’ sport and have no feel on what a shot clock will do to girls’ basketball.Â
As a whole, basketball is a game that is changing almost daily, if not already. Before we get advanced, let’s take a deep breath and remember that we are not at the level of football but it is slowly getting more popular every year in Texas. The college game in Texas has seen recent success and is helping the game build in the state. Before we get shot clocks, let’s get more fans involved and more players playing on the hardwood before we make a big leap.
