The idea of Nebraska adding a shot clock for at least Class A in 2022 is not officially dead. However, it does feel like it is on life support. 

The shot clock took a hit on Tuesday when the Classification Review Committee voted 7-2 to not add a shot clock in Class A for the 2022 season. For the shot clock proposal to be approved by the committee, it needed a two-thirds affirmative vote.

The shot clock was approved by the Class A Caucus (Athletic Directors) by a wide margin in July. 

The next step in the process was the Classification Review Committee. The committee’s two Class A Athletic Directors, Tom Kerkman (Omaha Westside) and Pat Gatzmeyer (Lincoln High) voted in favor of moving along the proposal for the shot clock. The seven non Class A members of the committee voted against the proposal. 

According to NSAA bylaw 1.5.4.3, the next step was for the proposal to go to the Classification Review Committee composed of two members from each of the four classifications representing Classes A, B, C, D. That committee’s meeting was Tuesday when it reviewed submitted proposals and voted on whether each meets criteria to be proposed to the NSAA board. The committee then would return the proposal to the group of Class A A.D.s with any adopted comments and recommendations.

Among the Classification Review Committee’s objectives was to consider financial implications, increase cost to the NSAA, increase travel for participating schools and if the proposal would decrease a student’s or coaches instruction time. The committee voted, as you can see in the public meeting minutes, against the proposal due to the fact a shot clock would increase cost to schools. 

The financial implication was the sticking point for the committee. For example, not all schools have purchased the equipment required to add a shot clock. 

The review committee meets again in February and likely will consider amendments to the initial proposal at that time. For the shot clock proposal to be approved by the committee, it needs a two-thirds affirmative vote.

Should the proposal be approved by the review committee in February, it would still need to again pass with a two-thirds majority from the Class A Caucus following the NSAA’s representative assembly meeting in April. The likelihood of it passing the review committee with a two-thirds majority or 6-3 vote is not likely based on the committee’s decision Tuesday. 

Then, the final stamp of approval would be up to the full NSAA board at its May meeting.

“The NSAA will work with its member schools in taking the next steps regarding a shot clock as this is a state association adoption and not a mandated rule,” Jon Dolliver, NSAA assistant director of basketball, said in May.

Multiple proposals, just for Class A, only in Class B and for all classes are on the docket for through the NSAA’s legislative process and will likely be brought to the board at their next meeting on Nov. 3rd.  

The shot clock was among topics discussed by the Basketball Rules Committee of the National Federation of State High School Associations at its annual meeting April 20-22. All recommendations were subsequently approved by the national group’s board of directors.

In May, the national group gave its blessing for state associations to adopt a 35-second shot clock for the 2022-23 season.

The national group’s rule 2-14 says that each state association may adopt a shot clock beginning in the 2022-23 season — according to guidelines outlined in the Basketball Rules Book — to encourage standardization among states. Guidelines include displaying two timepieces that are connected to a horn that is distinctive from the game-clock horn, and using an alternative timing device, such as a stopwatch at the scorer’s table, for a shot clock malfunction. The guidelines also allow for corrections to the shot clock only during the shot-clock period in which an error occurred and the officials have definite information relative to the mistake or malfunction.