Is it finally time for a shot clock in Alabama high school basketball? AHSAA speak on it.

Is it finally time for a shot clock to be added to Alabama high school basketball?

At the start of the girls class 3A semifinal matchup between Trinity and Clements, the Lady Colts held the ball for about a minute before making a move to the basket. With the entire arena and fans across the state streaming the game irate, Clement's head coach Shane Childress explained the philosophy behind the move.

"A lot of defenses we matched up against this year were intact and we are not as good at setting the player screens in the halfcourt," Childress said. "I want other teams to get impatient so we can find gaps and get to the basket."

The patience seemed to work as the Lady Colts scored after taking a good amount of time off the first quarter clock. Despite the occurrence only happening once during the game, it raised the question on when a possible shot clock will be implemented?

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) voted to permit a 35-second clock beginning with the 2022-2023 season by state association adoption. The AHSAA has yet to approve the shot clock in Alabama.

Trinity head coach Blake Smith advocates for the 35-second shot clock and says it's the only way to go when discussing its addition.

More: AHSAA state tournament: Trinity girls basketball defeats Clements in AHSAA 3A semifinals

"I would take away the five-second count and just stick to the 35-second shot clock," Smith said. "That way referees don't have to keep up with the five second calls and everyone just gets 35-seconds to shoot."

AHSAA basketball director Devin Booth spoke on the current shot clock rule and says it all comes down to the schools voting it in.

"It all depends on what our schools want. If this is something our schools want, we will get on board with it and make it happen," Booth said. "Our schools had the opportunity three times to vote that in and it just has not met the vote yet. So, until our schools vote that in for us to use...we are member driven and we are going to do what the schools want from us."

With no timetable on when this will be resolved, the state of Alabama will continue to wait for this change in the high school basketball realm.

Jerry Humphrey III is a sports writer for the Montgomery Advertiser who covers area high school sports, Auburn recruiting and Alabama State athletics. Follow him on Twitter @jerryhump3.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Trinity vs Clements semifinal game sparks shot clock debate