AshleyJohanek

Over the holiday break, Omaha high schools were introduced to a possible new shot clock rule during the basketball holiday tournament. Although it was experimental, a future state vote could make it a sanctioned rule of the game for the 2022-23 season. 

“A shot clock really speeds up the game,” junior Sophie Shaffer said. “It messes with your mind when you’re on offense because you just want to get the shot up so you don’t get the violation.” When in possession of the ball, players have 35 seconds to make their play and make a shot, unless there are certain fouls that come into play allowing the shot clock to return to full time. 

At the collegiate level, both men’s and women’s basketball utilizes the 30-second shot clock which was changed from 35 seconds back in 2015. The NBA and WNBA use a 24-second shot clock which was first installed in the NBA in 1954 as the game had been too low-scoring before then. 

Marian did not get the opportunity to experiment with the shot clock as Omaha Bryan High School forfeited the only game Marian had for the tournament. Head coach Tom Tvrdy regrets that the team didn’t get the experience like many other metro teams did. But he does mention how “it would change the way we play some defensively.”

When this phenomenon was first introduced, Omaha Central proposed a shot clock rule for all classes, but it was voted down. They then proposed it for just Class A schools. On Jan. 12, Nebraska athletic directors in all six districts voted on the proposal, and three of the six districts were in favor, allowing the proposal to pass. 

“In April, the NSAA voting delegates will vote on all proposals that passed at the district level, including the shot clock proposal for Class A. After that, the NSAA board will give its final approval for it to be fully ratified into the NSAA constitution,” athletic director Ms. Rochelle Rohlfs said. As of right now, 11 states across the country have implemented the shot clock rule. Could Nebraska become the next?