Though a shot clock isn’t coming to North Carolina high school basketball next year, it could be coming eventually.
After the National Federation of State High School Associations allowed states the chance to adopt a shot clock in May starting with the 2022-23 school year, the N.C. High School Athletic Association surveyed basketball coaches, athletic directors and principals, and implementing a shot clock next season did not get overwhelming support statewide.
“With mixed results from the survey, the board took no action at this time, but directed staff to continue seeking feedback from member schools on the possible implementation of a shot clock in the coming years.” NCHSAA media spokesperson James Alverson wrote after the association’s board of directors met Dec. 2.
However, in interviews with varsity hoops coaches in Cherokee County, it appears they would welcome the change.
“I’d be up for the challenge,” Murphy athletic director and girls basketball coach Ray Gutierrez said. “I think that something different for me, something that for me as a high school coach, you watch so many videos, go to so many clinics and these clinics are with college coaches and you gotta make sure as we learn from college coaches it makes it a little different because they’re on a different set of rules from us. I would like the idea of a shot clock.”
Under the proposal, the NFHS is allowing states to implement a 35-second shot clock starting next year. The clock would be mounted on top of each backboard, with an operator at the scorers’ table running it. The clock would reset to 20 seconds