Pa. puts basketball teams on the clock

A column by Brian Richesson, Vindicator sports writer.
The PIAA is sending a message with intents on helping high school basketball players.
But could it actually be hurting them?
In July, the organization that governs high school sports in Pennsylvania and its 29 board of directors voted unanimously to approve a mercy rule in boys and girls basketball.
The rule states that a running clock will be implemented if a team's lead balloons to 40 points in the third quarter or 30 in the fourth.
Once the rule becomes effective during a game, it cannot be reverted, even if a team rallies and cuts into the deficit.
Reaction to the rule
There are a number of coaches unsettled by it.
One is Shenango High's Bill McNees, whose teams have been on both sides of the rule, beating West Middlesex 84-48 and losing to Erie McDowell 89-47.
A veteran head coach of 22 years at Shenango, McNees cites three reasons he dislikes the rule.
* No. 1: "We teach the kids that you never give up, you fight to the end," he said. "This rule goes completely against that."
* No. 2: "From a coaching standpoint, it doesn't allow you the time to get your bench kids in the game," McNees said, whether it be for game experience or to prepare them for next season. "It's like a stinking hockey game; you're flying kids in and out."
* No. 3: "From a losing side, it adds insult to injury," he added. "The rule is saying that you guys are so bad that we're not going to keep score anymore. It's like saying that we're not even going to follow the regular rules of basketball."
Origin
The rule originated in the Pittsburgh-area public schools (District 8), where so many games -- boys and girls -- had become one-sided, said Melissa N. Mertz, PIAA assistant executive director. District 8 conducted a pilot study last year and liked how the mercy rule worked.
McNees said coaches weren't consulted before the rule became effective. They were simply informed of the change and forced to deal with it.
"It's like today's society," McNees related of the rule. "If you don't like a computer web page, you go to another. If you don't like a job, you go to another.
"It's more and more part of young people's mindset," he added. "If things aren't going well, you throw in the towel and move on. That appalls me."
In Ohio
The Ohio High School Athletic Association hasn't acted on such a rule, but that could change.
There has been some informal discussion about a mercy rule, said OHSAA assistant commissioner Duane Warns.
"I don't think coaches are real excited about it, and as a basketball purist I'm not wild about it, either," Warns said. "But there is great concern about some of the [defeats] that are taking place."
Warns noted Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph's 115-18 girls tournament victory over Oberlin Firelands last season. In the Youngstown area, the Boardman girls beat Struthers 114-31 last season and Ursuline's girls defeated Wilson 104-8 this year.
Boys games don't seem as lopsided, although last season Bristol beat Ledgemont 119-40 and Springfield defeated Jackson-Milton 103-41.
"That's not what high school sports should be about," Warns said. "You're building character and teaching values to young people. I always cringe when I see those kind of defeats."
Some blame must go to athletic directors (for poor scheduling) and coaches (for failure to distribute playing time). Common sense doesn't always prevail.
But sometimes, life isn't fair; there are hardships and heartbreaks. The challenges lie in overcoming them and moving forward with lessons learned.
Young athletes are involved in sports for the love of the game.
So let them finish it.
Brian Richesson covers high school sports for The Vindicator. Write to him at richesson@vindy.com.