Sports

Alabama High School Basketball Teams Fuel Shot Clock Debate With Refusal To Stop Stall Tactics

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A high school basketball game in Alabama is fueling a shot clock debate on social media. The two participating teams’ refusal to stop stall tactics made the product unwatchable at times.

Should high school basketball rules mirror those of the NCAA and NBA?

The contest at the center of the discussion came in the Alabama 4A State Basketball Tournament. Deshler faced Fairfield in the Final Four. A trip to the championship game was on the line.

That matchup would be highly contested. It came down to the last few possessions.

Fairfield led by three in the final seconds. After missing a free throw, Deshler grabbed a rebound and pushed up the floor for a potential tying shot.

They were called for a costly over and back that gave the ball back to the Tigers. A free throw would push the advantage to four points.

Fairfield would ultimately squeak out a 61-57 victory to advance to the title game.

Their semifinal outing might’ve been higher scoring if not for the Tigers’ second half stall tactics.

Alabama high school sparks basketball debate.

At the end of the third quarter, video shows Fairfield holding onto the ball without making an attempt to run its offense. It would effectively exhaust all remaining time from the clock, providing the Tigers with the final shot.

The clip picks up with about a minute left in the period. The stall might’ve been longer.

The NCAA has a 35-second shot clock. The NBA’s is 24 seconds. They force the offense to make a move to the basket within a reasonable period of time.

Those higher levels, however, boast more talent. Rushing high school basketball players to score points might only make the game sloppier.

There are supporters on both sides of the aisle. Many took to social media to voice their opinions after seeing the Alabama playoff game.

Should high school have a shot clock?

It’s a question that’s been asked throughout the last few years. A recent women’s game in Tennessee put a spotlight on the issue just last month.

In that instance, one side successfully drained more than three minutes from the clock before setting up the offense. Fairfield’s stall wasn’t quite as egregious, but it brought about the same reaction.

Some are for the shot clock, evidenced by the caption in the above video post. Others are against it.

“Yeah, let’s have kids rushing and throwing up crappy shots,” one follower sarcastically wrote. “That will definitely make the game better.”

Those naysayers point to the defense, not the offense, in placing blame for these stall situations. They have a point.

Deshler refused to force Fairfield to move the ball. They sat back and watched as the Tigers played keep away. Had a defender stepped up to guard the ball handler, it would’ve forced the action to get moving.

In a sense, both teams refused to stop stalling. Neither side forced the issue. It takes two to drag these moments of inactivity out.

A shot clock would speed up the game, but maybe not for the better. For now, viewers are left to endure the intermittent spurts of boredom. The debate will rage on each time the stall tactics are utilized.