FHSAA athletic directors to weigh in on basketball shot clock; locals on academic all-state

The high school basketball shot clock debate is heating up again in Florida.

The FHSAA athletic directors advisory committee will hear a new proposal aimed at implementing shot clocks for boys and girls varsity basketball games during an online meeting Wednesday morning.

The recommendation, which is currently in the early stages, would need to go through both the basketball coaches and AD advisory committees a second time if approved this week.

Former Florida State standout and NBA player Charlie Ward, who is the head basketball coach at Florida High of Tallahassee, is one of many state coaches behind the latest push for shot clocks.

Villages Charter coach Colt McDowell and Fort Lauderdale Dillard girls coach Marcia Pinder informed the basketball coaches advisory committee during its March 10 meeting that members of the Florida Athletic Coaches Association have an “increased interest in the implementation of the shot clock.”

That committee approved the recommendation by an 8-1 vote.

“The committee supported the use of a shot clock for varsity only as a means to improve competitive play and preparation for players to play beyond high school basketball,” according to official minutes from that meeting. “The committee did have concerns about the cost of the equipment and the availability of qualified adults to run the shot clock at the table. Mr. Ward presented the committee with information from manufacturers of the systems and intimated that such manufacturers were willing to work with schools on the cost of the equipment and installation.”

Some committee members suggested that shot clocks be operated by an FHSAA official, which would add an increase in fees.

A Daktronics national sales manager provided price points of $1,775 for the cost of two basic shot clocks and $2,375 for the cost of two shot clocks that come equipped with a game clock.

The athletic directors advisory committee will also hear a proposal from basketball coaches regarding the process for how FHSAA sports teams are classified, which is currently based upon total student enrollment at schools. The basketball committee stated that the existing process was “no longer an adequate method for state series competition,” and voted instead on a plan to classify teams based on their computerized FHSAA ranking at the end of each regular season.

Academic All-State

Five Orlando area athletes are among 24 finalists for the FHSAA’s Ronald N. Davis Scholar-Athletes of the Year awards.

Trinity Prep’s Emma Davey was one of 12 girls named to the annual Florida Dairy Farmers Academic All-State Team announced Monday. Boys academic all-state selections include Olympia’s Kai Komatsu, Bishop Moore’s Marcus Lisman, Lake Brantley’s Walter Stahll and Boone’s Brogan Tagman.

Davey is a cross country, track and field and weightlifting letter-winner . Komatsu, Lisman and Stahll each earned varsity letters all four years of high school in cross country and track and field. Tagman is a four-year letter-winner in football and lacrosse.

The academic all-state team is in recognition of seniors who excel in both athletics and academics. That includes graduating with a minimum 3.5 unweighted grade point average and earning a minimum of two varsity letters in at least two sports during their junior and senior year.

All-state team selections receive a $1,700 scholarship and a commemorative medallion. One male and one female will be chosen as overall winners and awarded a commemorative trophy and an additional $4,600 in scholarship funds.

This article originally appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email J.C. Carnahan at jcarnahan@orlandosentinel.com.