Post by The Admin on Dec 8, 2022 9:24:15 GMT -6
🔐 Oklahoma high school basketball shot clock up for debate by OSSAA
www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/12/07/oklahoma-high-school-basketball-shot-clock-up-for-debate-by-ossaa/69709960007/
www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/12/07/oklahoma-high-school-basketball-shot-clock-up-for-debate-by-ossaa/69709960007/
The question persists.
Should Oklahoma high school basketball teams start using shot clocks?
The popular topic resurfaced in the regularly scheduled Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) Board of Directors meeting Wednesday morning, and executive director David Jackson said it was also discussed at recent area meetings.
Wednesday, all 11 present members voted to continue surveying schools before making a final decision. Although the majority of Class 6A-2A coaches who responded to surveys voiced their support for the 35-second shot clock, this is not true for Classes A and B, Jackson said. He presented a recommendation for the Board to require shot clocks in Classes 6A-2A for the 2024-25 school year and make it optional for 2023-24.
“We had much discussion about this as a staff, generally not wanting to have different playing rules in our activities for different classes,” Jackson said. “But with this shot clock thing, we finally resolved the fact that if those two classes don’t want it, at least at this time, maybe we don’t impose it on them.”
Staff member Amy Cassell, whose areas of responsibility include Class 6A-5A basketball, summarized the polling process so far. The first survey happened a couple of years ago, which is one reason the OSSAA is seeking updated data. That poll went out to school administrators, and 56% of respondents voted in favor of the shot clock while 44% opposed it, she said.
“That’s why we didn’t do anything at that time because it wasn’t overwhelming,” Cassell said.
Instead, she and fellow staff member Brian Lester, who presides over 4A-B basketball, researched the resources schools would need to implement shot clocks. Cost is a major factor. Cassell said she has seen shot clocks listed anywhere from $1,100 to $6,000.
After delving into this information, the OSSAA staff polled coaches in September, Cassell said. The lead paragraph of the survey listed factors they would need to keep in mind: finding table workers, paying for the shot clock, paying workers, training workers, etc.
Lester said 674 high school basketball coaches responded.
In Classes 6A-2A, the majority said yes. The shot clock was most popular among 6A coaches — 90% voted in favor, Cassell said. Because of the yes/no format, respondents could not provide reasons for voting how they did.
The debate started bubbling in April 2021, when the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) ruled individual states could introduce shot clocks to high school basketball starting in 2022-23. In January of this year, The Oklahoman conducted a survey of OSSAA member coaches, garnering responses from 179 girls coaches and 208 boys coaches.
Despite substantial support for the shot clock, some concerns and uncertainties remain. In addition to considering financial factors, the Board of Directors raised the point that perhaps officials should be surveyed before a decision is made.
Jackson said the board plans to send new surveys to schools in January after winter break.
If the shot clock is implemented, Cassell said she doesn’t expect it to alter the game greatly.
“What we found out from going to summer meetings is that it sped up the pace of the game a little bit,” Cassell said. “There aren’t a lot of conversations around, ‘It prohibits people from holding the ball.’ That’s not really the intent of it.
“As a basketball coach, I know how many more possessions I’m gonna get, and I’m gonna base my strategy on that; and the equation of them holding the ball, me fouling — that kind of stuff changes. So it does change the strategy of the game. I think that coaches are just looking for a modern way, a more upgraded way to play the game and change strategy.”
Rule 14 committee presents potential changes for competitive equity
Two potential plans regarding competitive equity in Oklahoma high school football were presented at Wednesday’s meeting.
The Rule 14 committee has met multiple times to examine this existing OSSAA rule: a private school that has finished in the top eight for three of the past five years in an activity must jump up one class from its average daily membership (ADM). A couple of ideas emerged from these meetings, and OSSAA associate director Mike Whaley presented them on behalf of the committee. The Board of Directors did not select one model, instead voting to table the topic for the January meeting.
The success adjustment plan is a modified version of the current model. The other option is the playoff separation plan, which would break private schools into a new bracket for playoff competition.
But it doesn’t mean private schools would always fall into their own category.
According to the separation plan, Rule 14 schools would continue to compete in districts with public schools. The change would apply only to the postseason, and it wouldn’t affect all private schools.
To address the concern of small private schools trying to compete with large ones, the teams in the Rule 14 bracket would have to fit into the same ADM ratio that another class uses. At least eight teams would need to fall into the same category for a Rule 14 bracket to exist. For example, if the largest school in the bracket is Mount St. Mary, then the appropriate ADM ratio would encompass 11 private schools (12 including Casady, which will soon join the OSSAA), Whaley said.
Large private schools such as Bishop McGuinness and Bishop Kelley, as well as the smallest private schools, would fall outside that range. Whaley said this means they would continue to compete with public schools in the playoffs.
Under the success adjustment plan, all OSSAA-member private schools would compete in the same playoff brackets as public schools, but the OSSAA would tweak Rule 14. Instead of stopping at Class 5A, a private school could advance to Class 6A-II with this success rule, and it could move higher than one class above its ADM. Also, instead of placing in the top eight, a private school would have to finish in the top four in two of the past three years to shift up a class.
The success adjustment plan takes an additional step to provide competitive equity. In each class, the “least successful” public school team would move down, joining a class that could better suit its level of competition.
The plans were designed for football, though Whaley said the chosen model could extend to other sports if it works. In Class 3A this season, only one of the quarterfinalists was a public school, and the finals featured two private schools. No other class had a private school in the finals.
The Rule 14 committee includes representatives from private and public schools.
“We need to do what we think is best for this state, but there is no perfect plan,” Whaley said. “There are 50 states; there are 50 folks dealing with this issue 50 different ways, but we need to deal with it (in a way that is) best for the kids, the coaches, the communities and the state of Oklahoma.”
Extra points
• The board approved three changes to fast-pitch softball rules, which were decided at the Nov. 16 coaches advisory committee meeting. High school fast-pitch teams will have a limit of 37 games, and restrictions on the number of tournament games will be removed. Class 2A is shifting to four-team districts, helping schools cut down on travel distances. Class 2A playoffs will feature 16 regionals and eight super regionals. Classes 4A-3A will no longer have play-in games. Instead, each team will compete in one of 16 regionals, and super regionals will follow.
• The OSSAA’s fall e-sports state championship will take place Thursday afternoon at UCO. Students will compete in Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros and Madden. Tickets are available on the GoFan app.
Should Oklahoma high school basketball teams start using shot clocks?
The popular topic resurfaced in the regularly scheduled Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) Board of Directors meeting Wednesday morning, and executive director David Jackson said it was also discussed at recent area meetings.
Wednesday, all 11 present members voted to continue surveying schools before making a final decision. Although the majority of Class 6A-2A coaches who responded to surveys voiced their support for the 35-second shot clock, this is not true for Classes A and B, Jackson said. He presented a recommendation for the Board to require shot clocks in Classes 6A-2A for the 2024-25 school year and make it optional for 2023-24.
“We had much discussion about this as a staff, generally not wanting to have different playing rules in our activities for different classes,” Jackson said. “But with this shot clock thing, we finally resolved the fact that if those two classes don’t want it, at least at this time, maybe we don’t impose it on them.”
Staff member Amy Cassell, whose areas of responsibility include Class 6A-5A basketball, summarized the polling process so far. The first survey happened a couple of years ago, which is one reason the OSSAA is seeking updated data. That poll went out to school administrators, and 56% of respondents voted in favor of the shot clock while 44% opposed it, she said.
“That’s why we didn’t do anything at that time because it wasn’t overwhelming,” Cassell said.
Instead, she and fellow staff member Brian Lester, who presides over 4A-B basketball, researched the resources schools would need to implement shot clocks. Cost is a major factor. Cassell said she has seen shot clocks listed anywhere from $1,100 to $6,000.
After delving into this information, the OSSAA staff polled coaches in September, Cassell said. The lead paragraph of the survey listed factors they would need to keep in mind: finding table workers, paying for the shot clock, paying workers, training workers, etc.
Lester said 674 high school basketball coaches responded.
In Classes 6A-2A, the majority said yes. The shot clock was most popular among 6A coaches — 90% voted in favor, Cassell said. Because of the yes/no format, respondents could not provide reasons for voting how they did.
The debate started bubbling in April 2021, when the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) ruled individual states could introduce shot clocks to high school basketball starting in 2022-23. In January of this year, The Oklahoman conducted a survey of OSSAA member coaches, garnering responses from 179 girls coaches and 208 boys coaches.
Despite substantial support for the shot clock, some concerns and uncertainties remain. In addition to considering financial factors, the Board of Directors raised the point that perhaps officials should be surveyed before a decision is made.
Jackson said the board plans to send new surveys to schools in January after winter break.
If the shot clock is implemented, Cassell said she doesn’t expect it to alter the game greatly.
“What we found out from going to summer meetings is that it sped up the pace of the game a little bit,” Cassell said. “There aren’t a lot of conversations around, ‘It prohibits people from holding the ball.’ That’s not really the intent of it.
“As a basketball coach, I know how many more possessions I’m gonna get, and I’m gonna base my strategy on that; and the equation of them holding the ball, me fouling — that kind of stuff changes. So it does change the strategy of the game. I think that coaches are just looking for a modern way, a more upgraded way to play the game and change strategy.”
Rule 14 committee presents potential changes for competitive equity
Two potential plans regarding competitive equity in Oklahoma high school football were presented at Wednesday’s meeting.
The Rule 14 committee has met multiple times to examine this existing OSSAA rule: a private school that has finished in the top eight for three of the past five years in an activity must jump up one class from its average daily membership (ADM). A couple of ideas emerged from these meetings, and OSSAA associate director Mike Whaley presented them on behalf of the committee. The Board of Directors did not select one model, instead voting to table the topic for the January meeting.
The success adjustment plan is a modified version of the current model. The other option is the playoff separation plan, which would break private schools into a new bracket for playoff competition.
But it doesn’t mean private schools would always fall into their own category.
According to the separation plan, Rule 14 schools would continue to compete in districts with public schools. The change would apply only to the postseason, and it wouldn’t affect all private schools.
To address the concern of small private schools trying to compete with large ones, the teams in the Rule 14 bracket would have to fit into the same ADM ratio that another class uses. At least eight teams would need to fall into the same category for a Rule 14 bracket to exist. For example, if the largest school in the bracket is Mount St. Mary, then the appropriate ADM ratio would encompass 11 private schools (12 including Casady, which will soon join the OSSAA), Whaley said.
Large private schools such as Bishop McGuinness and Bishop Kelley, as well as the smallest private schools, would fall outside that range. Whaley said this means they would continue to compete with public schools in the playoffs.
Under the success adjustment plan, all OSSAA-member private schools would compete in the same playoff brackets as public schools, but the OSSAA would tweak Rule 14. Instead of stopping at Class 5A, a private school could advance to Class 6A-II with this success rule, and it could move higher than one class above its ADM. Also, instead of placing in the top eight, a private school would have to finish in the top four in two of the past three years to shift up a class.
The success adjustment plan takes an additional step to provide competitive equity. In each class, the “least successful” public school team would move down, joining a class that could better suit its level of competition.
The plans were designed for football, though Whaley said the chosen model could extend to other sports if it works. In Class 3A this season, only one of the quarterfinalists was a public school, and the finals featured two private schools. No other class had a private school in the finals.
The Rule 14 committee includes representatives from private and public schools.
“We need to do what we think is best for this state, but there is no perfect plan,” Whaley said. “There are 50 states; there are 50 folks dealing with this issue 50 different ways, but we need to deal with it (in a way that is) best for the kids, the coaches, the communities and the state of Oklahoma.”
Extra points
• The board approved three changes to fast-pitch softball rules, which were decided at the Nov. 16 coaches advisory committee meeting. High school fast-pitch teams will have a limit of 37 games, and restrictions on the number of tournament games will be removed. Class 2A is shifting to four-team districts, helping schools cut down on travel distances. Class 2A playoffs will feature 16 regionals and eight super regionals. Classes 4A-3A will no longer have play-in games. Instead, each team will compete in one of 16 regionals, and super regionals will follow.
• The OSSAA’s fall e-sports state championship will take place Thursday afternoon at UCO. Students will compete in Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros and Madden. Tickets are available on the GoFan app.