I've said it before, and I'll say it again: high school basketball needs a shot clock.
So many times I've seen basketball teams lull their opponents - and fans - to sleep by rotating the ball around and around and around.
Coaches will say it's because they are looking for the perfect shot, the right opportunity. After all, the bottom line is winning, not looking flashy. Just ask Rams head coach Tony Harper, whose disciplined approach took them to the Elite 8 last year.
But wait a minute. Isn't high school basketball supposed to be FUN to watch?
Of course.
I would argue that last night's Hanks-Montwood boys hoops game was anything but highlight reel material (OK, it did have its moments), as the Knights won a sluggish, defensive struggle 39-35 at Montwood.
Hanks normally is not known for playing conservatively, but the Knights were forced into it by Montwood's ball-control, defensive style of play.
Sure the adaptation pulled out that all-important 'W,' but fans need a game in which they can achieve that end result while also enjoying it.
Basketball is about oooohs and ahhhhs, not zzzzzzzzzzzz.
Now, not all teams play boring basketball. Cathedral, Andress and Chapin are just a few who love to run-and-gun.
I believe that a shot clock surely would speed up the pace, thereby limiting teams' keep-away tactics while keeping fans' eyes fixed on the game rather than the insides of their eyelids.
And you still can effectively control a game with a shot clock (e.g. the San Antonio Spurs).
The lack of a shot clock is magnified in close games, and it can get downright ridiculous in the playoffs.
Some teams hold the ball with two and, sometimes, as much as three minutes remaining. Just ask the 2004 Riverside girls team, which played a Wolfforth Frenship team tough in the Class 4A regional quarterfinals but literally had to watch as the Tigers ate away the clock with the delay game.
Unfortunately, it does not appear that the University Interscholastic League ever will institute a shot clock for high school basketball, which likely is because it would be too much of a hastle and, most important, expensive.
But bottom line, officials for both the UIL and the National Federation of State High School Associations should stop looking numbers and start thinking of the fans.
After all, what would the games be without them?
wha wha wha your just mad that your favorite school the University of Montwood lost. Hanks wasn't forced into anything if the great Harper was any good they would have won. Just goes to show it's the players that win games. I'm tired of Montwood always having excuses for everything. They have the newest facilities, most sudents and a little school like Hanks took them down. Get Over It.
Posted by: what the heck | Friday, January 05, 2007 at 05:46 PM
Montwood just lost? So they will still contend for the title and as far as Coach Harper, He is the best coach in the city in any sport!!! His players hold the ball because they don't take bad shots and they run an offense, what an idea? The reason andress, chapin, and parkland can't get deep in the playoffs is because when they meet up with a team that forces them to run something in the half court over and over again they can't DO IT!! Please Hanks got lucky just see where they finish!
Posted by: Baller | Saturday, January 06, 2007 at 08:26 AM
Holy cow!! the el paso chapter of officials should be shut down and revamped! I watched 2 referees that i have never seen do anything besides lower level games before call a horrible game in Tornillo last night!! the referee handed out a T to a tornillo player, and the assistant coach, who is the nicest guy in the world and would never say Goddamn especially to an Official. The coach told me the ref could not even hearhim He was just cracking under the pressure. That is not even the bad part. The same ref is getting flipped off by #34 adn his partner has no clue nice job partner! Then when the Fabens coach calls a timeout and he is ripping the referee out on the floor he doesn't even give a warning, AND THEN the kid shoots some free throws for a T and Taunts the crowd and the ref gives him a warning???? Please Refs send good referees to tornillo you probably wait untill the last second to find these guys because they were horrible!!! But I will give credit to Fabens good game and the next 2 with them should be very good Go Coyotes!!
Posted by: crunchtime | Saturday, January 06, 2007 at 09:40 AM
What the Heck did I just read the box scores right? Did Hanks beat Eastwood? Could the Eastwood parents been right? They did say their sons were the best in the city and that Eastwood would kick everbody's behind. Wha Hauppen?
Posted by: what the heck | Saturday, January 06, 2007 at 10:09 AM
The refs at the Tornillo-Fabens were totally inept and clueless. Especially one who called the Ts, he had no idea what was happening! #34-Fabens flipped him off TWICE and said "That's Bullshit!" to his face. #10-Fabens blew kisses at the crowd after shooting FTs., taunting is NOT ALLOWED in high school games. The association should be embarassed to even assign games to such a totally incompent crew. It took away from what was a very competitive game between two good teams.
Posted by: okie47 | Sunday, January 07, 2007 at 08:05 AM
Boy, are you right about the refs! Fabens I think came out and they were stunned with Tornillo Fabens from what I keep seeing is Lazy well Charlie #15 is anyway! He plays Horrible Defense and thinks he is gods gift to E l Paso Basketball. The kid could dominate a game but he never will I bet he is the same way in the classroom and off the court. If he keeps that attitude Fabens will get beat in the first round of the playoffs, And I am from Fabens and I teach out here! Wake up Charlie you are just an Average player and Tornillo Killed you and got inside of your head!
Posted by: TripleDouble | Monday, January 08, 2007 at 09:47 AM
Sounds like the fabens player should play for Montwood they would love that kind of attitude there. Would fit right in.
Posted by: EHS | Monday, January 08, 2007 at 12:29 PM
The head coach is from Montwood! HaHaHa Charlie just has a big head, Literally!
Posted by: CHS | Thursday, January 11, 2007 at 08:23 AM
You all talked about how Fabens and Tornillo are rivals...WRONG!! Its always been Fabens and Clint. And let me tell you, you all missed out on covering an awesome game last night. No, media coverage and that was too bad. I cant wait to see the next two meeting between these two teams.
Posted by: Basketball Fan | Saturday, January 13, 2007 at 05:51 AM
Lenny, once again you are way off base. High school basketball should not worry about being "fun" for the fans, what it should worry about is the ethical conduct of it's players and coaches. Coach Harper is a great coach, I can't say anything bad about him, he runs a tight ship, however if he were the coach at say...... San Eli then I am sure if he wanted to win he would run a delay four corners type of offense. Speaking of a slow grind it out gameplan, didn't Coach Haskins implement that same type of, in your words, "zzzzzz, boring game" when the miners beat the Kansas Jayhawks and earned a trip to the sweet sixteen. If you want to wacth a fast paced suffocating defense, hectic entertaing game go wacth an Andress/ Chapin game, or a Parkland game. The bottom line is a slow paced game is as much a part of the game as a face pased dunk filled extravaganza, true basketball fans would know that. Lenny instead of complaining about the rules that need to be conformed to the kids maybe you should concentrate on rules that are broken by the players, refs, coaches, administarition and reporters, but yet for the large part people choose to look the other way.
Posted by: mexicanhuskie | Thursday, January 18, 2007 at 11:08 AM
What is up now clint? who is the rivalry You got beat last night by tornillo for gods' sake please we will destroy tornillo on friday night and then beat vyou down 2 more times!!
Posted by: Boy Wonder | Thursday, January 25, 2007 at 11:50 AM
Boy Wonder, What Happened?
I don't think you have clue-better to be quiet than let everyone know you're a fool!
The refs bailed you guys out at the end. That won't happen in the playoffs especially playing a team from the Permian Basin or Panhandle. Remember Tornillo is really a small 2A school (260 kids)!
Posted by: okie47 | Friday, January 26, 2007 at 10:34 PM
Clint you are next!
Posted by: Mr. Clutch | Saturday, January 27, 2007 at 08:14 AM
Bring it On, Clint has always been the best you little kids have one good year and whupla . Atleast act like a champion, oh I forgot you have to win something first.
Posted by: three point shooter | Saturday, January 27, 2007 at 08:36 PM
Please, Someone put Us (Fabens) at the top we atre 21-2 the paper has no respect for us! We could beat Americas Montwood or Anyone else right now!! We are rollin!! Dunkin of people shootin threes left and right we can not be stopped CLINT you and Powell will get killed on teausday we are going to take no mercy a in what we do to you please don't Hate When we humiliate you!!
Posted by: Mr. Clutch | Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 07:44 AM
Hey clint we just won the district Last night!! You are the old rivalry Tornillo gives us more of a challenge than you do!! And the game at Tornillo on friday is going to be a blowout!! Roger and Danny Can not contain Charlie we will take over the city! GO CATS!!!
Posted by: Mr. Clutch | Wednesday, January 31, 2007 at 08:52 AM
calm down mr clutch face it yall(fabens) aint that good the reiffs bail you out of everythin they protect you..charlie has game but fabens doesnt sorry so just face it yall aint goin no where..tornillo almost beat yall...clint had a bad game..your due for a beatdown
Posted by: realtime | Wednesday, January 31, 2007 at 11:02 AM
Please you sound like a whiney beat up little LION. Sorry that we only have one good player It is good enough to beat you that was shown last night. So on to the next team just for you we will beat tornillo by at least 15 on friday just to show you, Sound Good? see you later you get one more butt kickin so don't get too mad!
Posted by: Mr. Clutch | Wednesday, January 31, 2007 at 12:12 PM
Mr. Crotch, Fabens is a joke. Yea you are a one year wonder. You have no class that comes from years of Clint beat downs. Every time you guys don't get a call your parents start whinning like little babies . Tell them to learn English first before they start barking STUPIDITIES. bACKWARD parents raise backward kids.
Posted by: Three Point Shooter | Wednesday, January 31, 2007 at 07:47 PM
Please don't be mad at us you don't even know what next year will be like! Our J.V. beat your J.V. and you nearly lost to tornillos J.V. I heard. So Clint take your second or third place finish and read the back of our shirts when the say District champs!!!! We will see you again after Tornillo tries to give us another challenge remember we will beat them by 15 so you will be convinced Graet year top be a CAT!!
Posted by: Mr. Clutch | Thursday, February 01, 2007 at 02:03 PM
Ya its a great year to be a cat but its been a great decade to be a lion. Clint has a history of hanging and competing with the 2-4A big dogs. It takes a drop down to a district that you all have in order to win a title. PLEASE!!!! One winning season...congrats...but don't consider youselves a dynasty just yet...one district championship...one winning season..congrats no doubt...but you still have a long way to go to even touch what clint has accomplished in a much more competitive district. None of this four team stuff.
Posted by: realtime | Thursday, February 01, 2007 at 06:50 PM
Please I will ask again don't be jealous every dynasty starts with year one! And this is year one!! I am through talking to you for now clint because tonight we will Be filling up the Tornillo gym at 3:30 So make room Tornillo and when we beat you by 15 tonight tornillo don't cry too much We are going to rush the floor and hoist the district trophy High on your court 1st place tonight!!!! Clint talk to me on saturday I am going COYOTE HUNTING!!!
Posted by: Mr. Clutch | Friday, February 02, 2007 at 06:42 AM
Hey, This whole thing about Tornillo and Fabens is Crazy and I Love it I can't wait to see the faces of the Tornillo players when the get beat I am so ready for tonight!!
Posted by: Cat Man | Friday, February 02, 2007 at 10:36 AM
First, to the knuckleheads who keep blogging all the B.S. Learn to write and spell-most people learn in the 3rd grade, I guess Fabens is little behind. Second, I saw the Tornillo kids' faces-they walked off with their heads high and proud. They leave it on the court each and every game, no excuses. Fabens looked like a bunch of whipped dogs with their tails between their legs. Yea, they're going to State, up I-10 and back real fast! I think overrated is the term that comes to mind.
Posted by: coyote1 | Friday, February 02, 2007 at 10:28 PM
I credit the Fabens boys on winning district, but don't get used to it. This is a one time deal. Let them have their 15 minutes of fame. This is the biggest thing to happen to Fabens since marijuana. The might have lucked out alot this year but they still managed to pull it off. Clint should have beat them both times, and Tornillo got robbed. And whoever said Tornillo and Fabens are the new rivals. Everyone who has lived in this part of town knows that it's always been Clint and Fabens. And another thing, to the people who said Clint is done with, I just want to point out that 3 players on their varisty squad are sophomores. And the JV squad is looking good too. So look out coyotes and wildcats next year, the dynasty of the Lions WILL continue.
Posted by: TFB | Sunday, February 04, 2007 at 12:26 AM