Does Making A Shot Stop The Clock In High School Basketball?

High school sports have rules that govern play. In the case of high school basketball, does the clock stop after a basket is made?

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Does the clock stop after a made shot in high school basketball?

A made basket does not stop the clock in high school basketball. The only time the clock stops in high school is during timeouts and for injuries. Otherwise, high school has a running clock that keeps the game going through most of the gameplay.

We’ll explain some high school rules and explain some of the reasoning behind the running clock.

Does the clock stop after a made shot in high school basketball?

No, high school basketball features a running clock that only stops for a few reasons. We’ll name a few of them here. 

Injuries:

In the event that a player is down or an injury occurs, the clock will stop so that medical staff can aid the injured player. 

Since the clock stops on the referee’s prompt for injury, the referee may or may not add a small amount of time to the shot clock based on how long it took them to stop the clock.

Shooting Fouls:

As you might already know, a shooting foul occurs during a shot. One major reason why the game clock stops for these kinds of fouls is that they often involve a free throw for the affected player.

Shot Clock Violation:

Teams have a certain amount of time to hit the rim on the backboard before the shot clock expires. If a shot clock violation occurs, the clock is stopped, and the ball is given to the defensive team to throw in bounds from the sideline. 

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Time Specific Rules

In some schools and leagues, the clock will stop if the game is close and there is very little time on the clock – less than 3 seconds. 

The opposite can also be true that some refs and games are strict enough to not allow the chance of a shot happening at the absolute last possible second, in part on the basis that it is difficult to know if a shot should count without instant replay.

How can I stop the clock after a made basket?

Calling a timeout after a basket is made will stop the play clock even if the game is currently being played under the mercy rule. Short of committing a foul on the offense, there is no other way to stop the click.

Do rules change late in the game in high school?

No. The only real exception to this rule is the mercy rule, which makes the clock run during most situations when one team is up by a significant amount – like 20-plus points.

Generally, this rule results in the clock continuing to run during moments like free throws and only stops for timeouts or injuries.

Are these rules different from the NBA?

The shot clock is a relatively rare example of where an NBA game is a bit different from a high school game.

While the clock generally doesn’t stop for a made basket in high school basketball, the NBA and NCAA stop the clock following a made basket with either 1 minute left or 2 minutes left depending on the level. This isn’t surprising since the NCAA and NBA are televised and play clock stops are intended to slow the game down a bit.

High school basketball games are rarely televised and have shorter quarters to make them go a bit faster. 

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Since high school games are usually played for a small crowd and involve students under 18, playing a quicker game to get experience but also reduce the need to stop the clock constantly and potentially reduce the risk for injury are seen as a positive.

Note that in college and NBA basketball, the clock starts again after a player touches the ball in bounds.

Is there a group that creates rules for high school basketball?

The National Federation of State High School Associations makes the rules and has frequent discussions about rule changes.

Most of the time, changes are made to more closely resemble the rules played in the NBA or college, often with the exception of the game clock and the length of a quarter. 

Note that not every high school basketball game will always have the same rules in every school. Some might modify or adjust rules in small ways though a change to how the play clock seems relatively rare.

The same rules typically extend to most high schools, though traveling and otherwise highly competitive leagues can adjust the rules for their needs, usually in small ways to more accurately mimic college and the NBA.

Does a missed free throw result in a clock stoppage?

No. Unless the ball lands out of bounds. The team that gathers the ball becomes the offensive team and the clock resumes right after someone touches the ball.

Are the shot clock and the game clock different?

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To avoid confusion, yes, the shot clock and the game clock are very different. The shot clock is used in every play and counts down from a predetermined number which limits how much time the offensive team can pass and move the ball around before shooting and at least hitting the rim. 

The game clock keeps track of overall time in the game and doesn’t reset until the start of a new quarter or half. The game ends when the game clock itself expires. 

Key Takeaways

  • The clock does not stop in high school basketball after a basket is made
  • The clock does stop for certain situations, like injuries, penalties, and free throws
  • An injury clock stoppage is up to the referee in the game
  • The shot clock and game clock are different. The shot clock is for an individual play.
  • NBA and college rules for post-basket clock stoppage are different.

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