Coaches have more work to do in bid for shot clock

Illinois basketball coaches made their case for a shot clock to the IHSA's board of directors Monday, and now they have more work to do in March.

St. Charles East boys coach Patrick Woods led the presentation with a couple other coaches in a Zoom call with the board, made up of 11 principals from around the state.

Instead of voting on the proposal, the board wants the coaches to make a formal proposal to institute a high school shot clock to the National Federation of High School Associations in March.

"Disappointing of course but to be honest probably expected," Woods said. "Looks like we will be going to the Federation with the rule change. We will get organized again and figure out our plan of attack."

Last year the NFHS voted down two shot clock proposals, one to make it the rule on the national level and the other to have each state regulate, which Woods said narrowly failed.

"We are hoping to get one of those two to pass," Woods said. "It's not a dead issue."

Currently 10 states have a shot clock. A statewide vote of Illinois coaches was held in July with 71.5% of the 870 coaches voting in favor of a shot clock.