I know basketball traditionalists enjoy watching a game without a shot clock.

They will tell you it gives the underdog a chance to upset a superior team.

The purists will also tell you how much they enjoy watching a team skillfully weave and move the ball around as the superior team gets more and more frustrated.

I also know the Maine Principals’ Association and the state of Maine won’t be adding a shot clock to the school budgets any time soon.

It has been difficult enough financially to heat the schools this winter.

But wouldn’t it be nice if they did add a shot clock?

A shot clock system ranges in price from $432 to $2,487. You might need two systems in case the first one breaks down.

Then, if you hire somebody to run the shot clock, that would probably run at least $25-$40 per game for 36 games. I’m figuring nine home games apiece for your varsity boys and girls teams and nine more each for the JV teams. And there may be freshman games, also.

There are only seven states that use a shot clock, but that shouldn’t deter Maine or any state from looking into it.

High school games last 32 minutes and if you have a 30-second shot clock, an inferior team that protects the ball well can hold the ball for 27-29 seconds before putting up a shot.

If you get fouled, the shot clock goes back to 30.

That will limit the number of possessions the superior team can have.

If you don’t turn the ball over often and can run 20-30 seconds off the clock, you could limit your opponent to 40-50 possessions per game and if you hold them under 50 percent shooting, you can limit them to 40-50 points.

That should give you a chance to win.

When Mt. Blue High School of Farmington held the ball for seven minutes in the first quarter of its 44-21 loss to Bangor in the Eastern Maine Class A semifinals, it was difficult to watch.

The strategy was a smart one because Mt. Blue had lost twice to Bangor during the regular season by a combined 64 points.

But that’s not what basketball is about.

And it certainly detracts from the entertainment value.

Not having a shot clock goes against the fiber of basketball.

You have 10 seconds to advance the ball over midcourt, but then you can hold it as long as you want in the frontcourt.

Does that make sense to you?

It doesn’t to me.

Nor does the fact the women’s college game doesn’t have a 10-second violation. They do have a 30-second shot clock – the men have a 35-second clock – so they can dribble in the backcourt for as long as they want until the shot clock expires.

Figure that one out!

Watching a team play aggressive, smothering man-to-man defense is a treat and a shot clock would reward a team for doing so.

Playing great defense is the product of hard work, footwork, communication and positioning.

And it can be taught to players of all talent levels.

The Eastern Maine and defending state champion Calais (Class C) and Bangor (A) boys basketball teams have won 63 and 31 games in a row, respectively, thanks to their defense.

Maine is a rabid basketball state and a shot clock would only improve the game and the skill of our players.

They would have to make decisions more quickly.

And for those who go on to play college ball, it would make their transition easier.

lmahoney@bangordailynews.net

990-8231