The thrill, the energy and the moment of the game are all stopped when the point guard picks up his dribble and holds the ball at half court. 

High school basketball teams have used this strategy to win games for years. In fact, the coach with the third most wins in Indiana high school basketball history, Jack Butcher, played this way in many of his 806 wins, all the way back to 1957 according the the IndyStar.

Coaches have had their players stand at half court without moving the ball while the clock runs down since the game was created, so why haven’t people added a shot clock to high school basketball?

A shot clock would be a timer separate from the normal play clock that tells how much time each team can have the ball during a single possession. I believe the addition of a 30 second shot clock could improve the flow of basketball games and better prepare players that have a chance to play basketball at levels past high school. 

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, “currently, Massachusetts, Maryland, Rhode Island, Washington, New York, California, North Dakota and South Dakota utilize the shot clock for either boys or girls (basketball) or both.” However, these states violate NFHS rules by using shot clocks, meaning they cannot have a member on the Basketball Rules Committee, which is a reason why very few states have applied this rule

The two biggest reasons the NFHS hasn’t implemented a shot clock are issues with money and that committee members believe a shot clock would just be catering to the audience and not helping the players, according to the NFHS.

If the NFHS allowed high schools to use shot clocks, it would better develop those that will play at the college level.

College basketball uses a 30 second shot clock. If high schools used one as well, it would allow college coaches to see how players perform with a time restraint. Players would also be familiar with the concept of a shot clock before college.

On top of developing players, the games would be more entertaining for fans. I enjoy watching two basketball teams go back and forth throughout the game, and as a fan, nothing is worse than watching a player hold the ball.

Any time two teams are going back and forth, one team will hold the ball by the time a game gets to the end of the fourth quarter in order to get the last shot. A 30 second shot clock would completely eliminate this strategy known as stall ball.

Teams would be forced to put up a shot within 30 seconds of getting the ball, giving the fans a game with no breaks in the action, which is ultimately what I, along with other fans, want to see.