4TH & GOAL, Earl Watt
This season was the first for the basketball shot clock in Kansas high school basketball, and when it is needed the most, it won’t be used.
At the beginning of the season it was determined that the shot clock would be used in Classes 5A and 6A and it would be optional for all classes below.
Some chose to use it. Some didn’t.
For the first season, I believe the shot clock was a good addition even though it had little impact on very many games.
That observation is a little tainted. Most home games this season were blowouts with running clocks in the fourth quarter. I believe all season long there were no more than five shot clock violations in The Big House at Liberal High School.
One of my main concerns was how the clock would be administered. Would we have people who could accurately operate the clock?
That question was easily answered with a resounding “Yes.” The shot clock operators were on point, and I can only think of one instance all season where the officials had to check on a clock issue pertaining to the shot clock.
The shot clock’s importance comes in on close games, and I believe making teams have to keep playing with the game is on the line rather than trying to hold the ball and force fouls is a better representation of why games are played than this idea that four corners offense is just as important.
It isn’t.
Games are meant to try to score. The shot clock makes that mandatory.
The determination was made by the Kansas High School Activities Association to only use the shot clock for regular season games this first season.
I get that. No one knew how it would go.
Now that we do, it should be a no-brainer to make sure that the clock is used for the playoffs next season. It works, and it is a great addition.
