Maryland adopts shot clock for boys basketball

May 4, 2017 / Basketball
Maryland high school boys basketball will install a 35-second shot clock beginning with the 2017-18 season.

The Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) last week approved the change, along with a new mercy rule for both boys and girls basketball that includes a running clock when one team leads by at least 35 points. MPSSAA Executive Director Andy Warner told The Baltimore Sun that a “strong majority” of coaches favored the shot clock.

Maryland already uses a 30-second shot clock for girls basketball, and the Baltimore Catholic League and boys Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association — which oversees 29 private schools in the Baltimore area — adopted a 35-second shot clock in 2012, The Sun reported.

Shot clocks in high school basketball have been a point of debate in recent years. Some coaches believe they’ll be difficult to manage and could slow down the game, and others say they’re necessary to prevent stalling offenses. It’s not entirely uncommon for overmatched teams to hold the ball for minutes at a time to keep it away from their high-scoring opponents.

Last year, we surveyed coaches and 70 percent said they didn’t have a problem with stalling in high school basketball. 

Click here to read more from The Baltimore Sun.


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