This issue came up in the Estill County-Riverside Christian thread.

 

Thoughts?

I'll start here. I would think something like 40 pts. in the 1st half - have a running clock in the second half. And at 30 at the end of the 3rd quarter, a running clock in the fourth. The goal would be to reduce a blowout, but not take away even a remote chance for a comeback.

Are there any other states that have a running clock in certain situations?

I'm in more of the camp that if you don't want to get spanked, learn to stop the team doing the spanking. Same goes for football, however, football can make more of a case since there are so many players.

Don't like it. Blow-outs if nothing else give the bench players some minutes and playing time. Besides a HS game doesn't last but about 75-85 minutes anyway which is a short amount of time. Maybe inside two minutes left in the game if the score is over 30 points.

On occasion, games will get out of hand. A large scoring margin, is usually indicative of one team being good and the other not. The real question should be, why are teams getting beat this bad, on a consistent basis. If you can't be competitive at all but continually get throttled, playing the game for the sake of playing, doesn't help any student-athletes involved.

 

The decision to make a Varsity schedule and playing District teams, will result in mis-matches. I'm not for a running clock in Basketball but more of asking why, a team would need a running clock in a majority of games they play.

Are there any other states that have a running clock in certain situations?

Florida has or had one for games that are a 30 point margin or more.

Blowouts allow those kids who might not get an opportunity to play in a varsity game a chance to play. I think the running clock limits their opportunity. I agree with the earlier poster that high school BB games are not that long anyway.

Florida has or had one for games that are a 30 point margin or more.

 

Actually it is 35 or more anytime in the 2nd half. I see both sides. Having coached in a district that had ALOT of very weak teams, the year before the running clock I found myself doing everything in my power to keep the score difference to a minimum, but the next year when we had it I was able to let the guys who didn't get a lot of playing time still run our system more openly, not pressing or anything, but then again not having to sit inside the 3 point line in a zone we normally never ran. One thing i noticed too, was that the referees continued to call the game normally with a running clock, but before it they would let the team who was way behind get away with murder and call everything on the team ahead even though that team had their bottom 5 players in the game the majority of the 2nd half.

Before I could answer this, I would have to decide for myself at what point would a team be unable to come back. I've seen a few unlikely come backs over the years. Even if there were to be a running clock rule, it would be my contention that the rule could only be implemented by the approval or request of the losing coach.

I have observed that officials control the clock during blowout games. They have a tendency to not blow the whistle (which is ok with me), ony time clock stops is out of bounds or very flagrant foul.

There is no need for a running clock in high school basketball. Like Lion Mania said high school games don't take long to play anyway.

High school games arent that long, so I dont think a running clock should be used.

I'm in the "no running shot clock camp" for various reasons; but thought it worthy of discussion.

No. You're only talking about a 32 minute game.