Does Ohio high school basketball need a shot clock?

Dribble. Dribble. Dribble. Dribble. Dribble. Dribble. Dribble. Dribble. Dribble. Dribble.

Kind of slow, huh?

I thought so. So, with the 2010-11 girls high school basketball season starting Saturday, Nov. 26 (20 days from now) and the boys season a week after, I just need to get a few things off my chest before the season tip-off.

 

I dislike the fact that there is no shot clock in Ohio high school basketball.

 

Dribble. Dribble. Dribble. Dribble. Dribble.

 

Not enough action?

 

Thought so.

 

What is even more upsetting is when the team just holds the ball,  bouncing the ball in the same spot over and over and over and over and over and over (you get the point) with no defensive pressure. Like shooting the ball every 30 to 45 seconds is too much for the crowd to handle.

 

When teams do this: pass ... pass ... pass ... pass ... pass ...look at the hoop, no, wait, pass ... I just want to walk to the concession stand, buy a Coke, drink the Coke, walk back to the base line and realize I didn't miss anything, because teams will still just be playing hot potato with the basketball. (At least when you are at Lynchburg-Clay games their student section keeps it interesting with the chant "PASS ... PASS ... PASS ... PASS!")

 

OK, I must admit, sometimes the passing displays can look cool (if done correctly and at a fast pace), but really, I want to see basketball, not a glorified dribbling and passing session where teams take possibly two to three minutes in between shots.

 

I'm not saying this happens every game, but sometimes it does.

 

I don't understand why Ohio and 41 other states have to play basketball like it is 1953 in the NBA.

 

Sometimes when I am at a game, it's like I went back in time during the playing days of Bob Cousy with the Boston Celtics, who is known as the No. 1 clock killer. Back in his day, there was no shot clock, and the NBA averaged 76 points a game. In its first year of operation, the 24-second shot brought scoring up to 93 ppg.

 

Maybe it is time to jump into the 21st century and realize this isn't the same game that was played in the '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s and even 10 years ago.

 

Eight states have it right (in my opinion): California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Rhode Island and Washington all have a shot clock when their high school teams step onto the court.

 

Why not have one? Is there a good reason not to?

 

I'd love to hear others' opinions on this.

 

I'm not saying I'm right or wrong with this. I'm not writing this as a basketball savior or a person that knows the x's and o's of the game, because I don't. I'm writing this as a casual, impartial observer, who is terrible at playing basketball but watches probably a combined 200 high school, NCAA and the NBA games yearly.

 

I was given an argument the current system helps keep teams that are good defensively (not so great offensively) in the game. My argument is, if they are good defensively, shouldn't they keep the other team from scoring? Plus, having one could help the defense, possibly, as there would be a set time for teams to get rid of the ball and take a shot at the hoop.

 

I also read an article for the Los Angeles Times from 1997 (I think) when the state of California adopted the rule. Some of the arguments were that this hurts non-athletic teams, and if teams don't use certain types of offenses, the shot clock hurts them. One quote said this isn't what high school basketball is about.

 

In the movie "Blue Chips," Cousy plays an athletic director, and while having a conversation he's shooting free throws and never misses (he actually did not miss a shot in the take and this next line was unscripted), and Cousy says:

 

"That's the idea of the game, put the ball in the hole."

 

I thought so too.

 

So, the high school game should be played differently because some of the teams are better and have better athletes? Those teams should be punished? I don't see how that is fair, but again, I don't know all the technical parts of basketball.

 

Are the rules of wrestling different because one kid is better than the other?

 

I'm just asking for a 30 or 35 second clock, nothing big, heck I'd settle for 45 seconds if that would smooth things over. Plus, my reasoning is if a team can't get a shot off in that amount of time, maybe it's time to change the offense or make adjustments, break the opposing defense that way, instead of playing keep away.

 

I've seen games where keep away has worked very well in fact, it was like a chess match of sorts. (It was even entertaining for the first minute.)

 

But I must say, I'm a fan of checkers, not chess.

 

Wouldn't the addition of a shot clock make the games even better? I do know it would give the team trailing a better chance of making a comeback. Wouldn't it?

 

OK, right now I am going to warn you. I am going to just completely ruin the flow of making my point and stalling my opinion, because I feel like I have a comfortable lead, and I don't want anyone to mount a comeback with a rebuttal of their own.

 

Hold on.

 

Dribble ... pass .. dribble ... pass ... pass ... dribble ... pass ... dribble ... pass ...  pass ... dribble ... pass ... dribble ... pass... pass ... pass ... pass ... dribble ... pass ... dribble ... pass ... dribble ... pass ... dribble ... pass.

 

And that was me typing one minute's worth of dribble and pass. And you are lucky I didn't pay attention in typing class in high school, plus I type like I have a chicken's foot on each wrist. Think of how many dribbles and passes you would have had to read through if I was actually a fully functional typist.

 

Isn't that how you feel when a good game of basketball is slowed by teams just holding the basketball for a long period of time, breaking the momentum of the game because they have a lead of a couple points? Again, maybe it's just me.

 

All right, I was just fouled, so let's get back to this column.

 

Seeing a perfected offensive play is fun to watch, don't get me wrong, but does it really have to take over 45 seconds to execute. Unlike most people, I watch high school basketball six days a week, sometimes twice a day on Saturday's, and once last year three consecutive games in the same place. I usually average around 68 games a year.

 

I see many styles of basketball. I see offensive-minded teams. I see teams who focus on defense more, and I see teams who like to use a balance.

 

I don't care if I see the run-and-gun offense where teams just shoot the ball in a big rush, but most games (I'm not saying every last one of them) should have a balance of both a nice-paced offense and solid defense, and it can be exciting.

 

Even just a game of solid defense is really exciting, but a shot clock would keep a good pace to the game. Without a shot clock, we'll continue to watch many high school teams just stall, pass, dribble, not go to the hoop, pass some more, wait ... dribble, and not take a shot.

 

A shot clock works in college and pro, why not high school? Even Southern State has a shot clock for their games.

 

As an added bonus, wouldn't the transition be easier on players who decide to play that game at the next level, if they are used to having a shot clock? 

 

College used to have a 45-second shot clock, but now have a 35-second shot clock, and there are some who argue a 30-second shot clock would even be better.

 

Either way, I'd be happy as John Goodman on Thanksgiving if high school basketball would go to a 35-second shot clock. It would make the game better for everyone involved and more fun to watch.

 

If the rule is never changed, that's fine too. I just wanted to take a deep breath and prepare for the three month-plus journey that awaits me ... high school basketball is on its way. I'm ready for the madness.