Survey: Idaho high schools want a shot clock. Is it finally time to bring it to Idaho?
A long-awaited element could soon come to Idaho high school basketball.
After a statewide survey showed clear support for adding a shot clock, Idaho’s high school sports governing body voted unanimously Wednesday to schedule a first official vote on it for April 6.
The Idaho High School Activities Association board has not yet taken a vote on the shot clock itself. Wednesday’s procedural vote moved the long-debated subject from a discussion topic to its action agenda, where it can receive a vote.
All rule changes must pass two votes from the IHSAA board, meaning the state governing body could not finalize a shot clock until June at the earliest. It targeted the 2024-25 boys and girls basketball seasons as the first with a shot clock during Wednesday’s discussion to allow schools time to purchase, install and experiment with the clocks.
“These results are pretty overwhelming,” IHSAA board member Chad Williams said of the statewide survey. “My question is, does Idaho want to be an early adopter or a late adopter? The support is there.”
SURVEY SHOWS STRONG SUPPORT FOR SHOT CLOCK
The IHSAA survey showed 78% (558-of-716) of Idaho’s coaches, referees, athletic directors, principals and superintendents support bringing a shot clock to Idaho.
The survey showed strong backing across all groups, including:
81% of girls basketball coaches (66-of-81)
82% of boys basketball coaches (79-of-96)
86% of referees (260-of-303)
64% of athletic directors (77-of-120)
78% of principals (40-of-51)
55% of superintendents (36-of-65)
“It’s definitely time for it,” Mountain View boys basketball coach Jon Nettleton said. “I feel just like the rest of the state does — that there’s overwhelming support for it, and we’d like to implement it.”
IDAHO’S EVOLVING STANCE ON A SHOT CLOCK
Wednesday’s decision signals a change in heart from the IHSAA board, which rejected several previous appeals to bring the shot clock to Idaho.
It denied Centennial the use of a shot clock for a holiday tournament in September 2014. And it previously let shot clock proposals die on the discussion agenda in January 2013 and January 2019, with critics citing costs, calling it unnecessary and worrying about compliance with national rules.
Compliance is no longer a concern after the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) removed its punishment for states using a shot clock in May. It no longer bars states using a 35-second shot clock from sitting on its national rules committee.
That opened the door for more states to explore a shot clock. Montana voted Monday to add one starting in 2022-23 for all varsity and sub-varsity games. And Utah plans a vote later this month.
Eight states and the District of Columbia already have a shot clock. They include: Washington, California, North Dakota, South Dakota, New York, Maryland, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
But cost remains a large hurdle for Idaho schools and the IHSAA. Nettleton said representatives from Daktronics, a leading scoreboard manufacturer, told him it would cost about $3,000 for a shot clock before installation.
That may not represent a hurdle for large schools. But it is a significant expense for many of Idaho’s smaller and rural programs.
“I know that there are some schools out there that would have a shot clock tomorrow if they wanted to,” IHSAA Executive Director Ty Jones said. “And there are other ones that will have to find a way over the next year or two to pay for it.”
DETAILS, MERITS OF A SHOT CLOCK
Jones said if Idaho added a shot clock, it would follow NFHS guidance and use a 35-second one. But details beyond that remain scarce.
Wednesday’s discussion revolved around whether it should move forward to a vote. The IHSAA board did not commit to when schools could start using a shot clock or whether schools would use it for varsity or all levels.
Those details would come in an April 6 proposal for the IHSAA to consider.
Whatever the final details, Wednesday’s progression follows years of pushing for a shot clock by many of the state’s coaches. They say it will improve the game, reward teams that play solid defense and prepare Idaho athletes for the next level.
“It changes the fourth quarter dramatically when it comes to the last 5 to 6 minutes,” Nettleton said. “It’s not holding the ball and a foul fest. It rewards defense. I’m a huge defensive guy. Anytime you’re rewarding defense and how it’s played, it’s an overall improvement.”
Owyhee boys basketball coach Andy Harrington noted his team played eight games this summer and four in December with a shot clock. He said he noticed an immediate difference. It increased the pace of play, required players to up their skills and created more possessions, which resulted in more opportunities for more players to enter the game.
“With a shot clock, teams are not going to be allowed to have a possession of 1 minute,” Harrington said. “I don’t think it consistently happens. But over the course of a game, they do.
“It’s going to require guys to make plays at a faster pace, which means they have to be more skilled and better at basketball.”
This story was originally published January 19, 2022 at 2:58 PM.
