TUPATALK: Will rule changes be positive for prep hoops? What about shot clock?
A couple of area high school basketball coaches expressed mixed feelings about a major rule changes mandated to all states by the National Federation of High Schools.
The rule changes encompass the awarding of free throws on foul.
In the past, when a team committed its seventh foul in a half, the other team was awarded free throws. The new rule rewards penalty free throws on the other team’s fifth foul in a quarter.
One-on-one free throws are being done away with. Players will be guaranteed two free throws on each foul trip, except presumably on three-point plays (a bucket and a foul).
Part of the NFHS’ rationale is the flow of the game will quicken with the five fouls per quarter it will cut down on team’s opportunities to get to the free throw line. Another part is trying to limit injuries on free throw rebounds.
Bartlesville High head coach Clent Stewart listed the changes as interesting and as a putting high school play more into the line of pro games.
He expressed hope it would help in the development of players.
Eliminating the one-and-one shot will greatly change fourth quarter strategy when teams are playing from behind.
“If you’re the team that’s ahead and getting fouled, it’s a great rule,” Stewart said. “If you’re the other team, it’s not a great rule.”
Stewart sounded more bullish on bring a shot clock to Oklahoma basketball.
The NFHS permits states to use a shot clock, but — unlike the new free throw/foul rules — has left it up to individual states to choose. So far, Oklahoma has rejected use of the shot clock.
Stewart said implementation of a shot clock would help Oklahoma players prepare better to play on the college level, where a shot clock is used.
“That way the game doesn’t change for them,” he said.
Dewey head coach Lance Knight expressed guarded ambivalence about the foul/free throw changes.
“I haven’t thought a whole lot about it. … It’s something to get used to, for sure,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll do some stuff this summer to get a taste of it.”
Knight said the foul/free threw rule alterations caught him completely off-guard. It’s not something the coaches have discussed at their meetings, he said.
“I was kind of shocked about it,” he said, adding the major topic of discussion in terms of changes has focused on the shot clock.
“That (the shot clock) comes up all the time,” Knight said. “For most coaches it’s ‘Let’s do it.’ But, there are money issues. I would like to have it. I think it would speed up the game a little, created a little better pace and help the kids going to college.”
This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: TUPATALK: Will rule changes improve prep hoops? What about shot clock?
