Dave Lepisto is excited about the possibility of the shot clock entering the state high school basketball landscape in the near future.
The Kimberly girls basketball coach said the Papermakers are ready to use the shot clocks they installed in 2019 at Jack Wippich Court.
The WIAA’s Board of Control approved two measures at its June 23 meeting with regard to the possible full implementation of the shot clock by the 2028-29 season.
For the upcoming season, there will be a 35-second shot clock for nonconference boys and girls varsity games by approved agreement of the teams.
The second, and perhaps more unknown measure, is the full implementation of the 35-second shot clock for the 2028-29 season. That will need approval from the membership at the next WIAA annual meeting in April 2027 in Stevens Point.
“I am excited for this first step,” Lepisto said. “Being able to use the shot clock for our nonconference games is a good start and an opportunity to show people how the game can be played with the shot clock. Players will have more opportunities with more possessions.
“Teams will need to play advantage basketball where they need to attack and look to create advantage and take the shot.”
Lepisto said he feels the biggest difference with the shot clock will come at the end of close games.
“The biggest change to the game will be the last four minutes,” he said. “Teams with leads need to play decision-based basketball. They can’t simply run the clock. Teams behind can get back into games without necessarily having to foul. It will create interesting end-of-game situations.”
Lepisto added he’s aware full implementation of the shot clock may not happen at all, given past votes.
“I’m also guessing the membership will not approve of the shot clock for all schools the following April. It will probably come down to whether all the D2 and D1 vote as a block to counteract the D4 and D5 school vote,” he said. “Hopefully the nonconference implementation will help people see the benefits of the shot clock.”
Hortonville girls basketball coach AC Clouthier said his team played in a tournament in Minnesota a few years ago and really liked the shot clock.
“Minnesota obviously uses that all the time and it really only affected us like two or three possessions,” Clouthier said. “But, again, that’s the way we play and that’s how we like to play, so I think a lot of coaches think it’s going to affect the way they play so much, but really I don’t. Once you get in the groove of it, you know your kids and your coaches and you know you have that mental clock of it all the time, too, so I think it’s a good step in the right direction.”
According to a survey by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association among 919 statewide coaches, athletic directors, superintendents and principals that was shared with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 57% of those who responded approved the use of a shot clock. There were 30% who did not approve and 13% undecided.
There was a split in support among divisions, with 82% in favor of the shot clock in Division 1 and 74% in Division 2, with Division 3 (53%) and Division 4 (51%) showing slim majorities. Division 5 showed 45% opposing the shot clock and 39% in favor.
Here are comments from several other Appleton-area coaches on the WIAA’s first step toward a shot clock.
AC Clouthier, Hortonville girls basketball
“I think it is overall going to be a great thing for our athletes in basketball in general in the state of Wisconsin. I think that added element with the shot clock for coaches, especially coaches like me that love the strategy and the scheming … there’s always many battles within the overall game. I think, overall, the game can improve. The only thing that will improve right away are some of the logistic steps. Even a school like Hortonville, as big as we are, we need to buy the shot clocks. They have to be on the backboard or can you have one on your half or one on the floor? Who’s going to manage the shot clock? Is the WIAA or commissioner of your league hiring someone to do it, so it’s not biased? How are we going to regulate and manage those things?”
Matt Klarner, Xavier boys basketball
“This is an exciting step to progress the game. The biggest benefit to the shot clock is how it improves the last three minutes of the game. More basketball, more strategy and less stalling.”
Lee Rabas, Neenah boys basketball
“Positive step forward for basketball in our state. There are many people to thank for getting us here. Now we need to finish the final step. Obviously it still needs to get a majority of votes next April for full implementation. Hopefully people understand the importance of contacting their administrators and letting them know it is important for them to vote yes. The major stakeholders want to play with a shot clock. It’s time we make it happen.”
Chad Shimek, Brillion boys basketball
“It still has to be approved by the schools. I don’t have a strong opinion either way. I don’t think it will affect Brillion any differently than other schools. If the schools pass it, everyone will adapt and I don’t think it will be that great of a change. I do like that it is only at the varsity level.”
David Wenzel, Fox Valley Lutheran girls basketball
“It will be good for high school basketball in Wisconsin. It will make pressure defense even more important. And it will be vital to have players who can create their own shot.”
Jacob Van Roy, Little Chute boys basketball
“I think this is a positive thing for high school boys basketball. It’s going to allow teams to push the pace on offense and for coaches to be creative with how they want to score at the end of the clock. This will only continue to move the high school game forward, while also helping our players get prepared to play at the next level.”
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Appleton-area basketball coaches embrace shot clock implementation
Reporting by Ricardo Arguello, Appleton Post-Crescent / Appleton Post-Crescent
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Ricardo Arguello, Appleton Post-Crescent | USA TODAY Network
