GEORGIA (WTXL) — Georgia became the ninth state in the country to implement a shot clock for high school basketball Tuesday when the Georgia High School Association executive committee overwhelmingly approved the addition of a shot clock for both boys and girls varsity games.
Just 10 of over 60 members of the GHSA's executive committee cast votes against the addition of the shot clock.
The 30-second clock will be phased into GHSA games over the next three seasons with 2022 - 2023 the first year it will be enforced in all varsity games.
For many coaches, it's a decision that they're excited about, and one that's long overdue. Rory Welsh, the head coach at Langston Hughes High School outside of Atlanta, first proposed to add the shot clock.
"One of things I could see from talking to a lot of fans and administrators and faculty members who are at these games at the high school level a lot was that they were tired, just plan and simple, tired of seeing the game played with the loophole of playing cat and mouse or standing there holding the ball at half court," he said. "It was time to play the game the way it was invited, which was to score, give up the ball and get the ball back and score again, not to simply possess the ball for unreasonable amounts of time."
The shot clock will be used in approved holiday tournaments and showcases this season. In the 2021 - 2022 season Regions can vote on whether or not to use shot clock in Region games.
Basketball at the college level, the NBA level, and the professional level is played with a shot clock. Now, basketball at Georgia's high school level is, too.
