The National Federation of State High School Associations’ basketball rules committee has adopted a “mercy” rule for high school basketball games in which a running clock would be used once the point difference between the teams reaches a certain point.

The rule does not spell out the point differential or at which point in the game the clock should be started. States will make that determination individually.

States are not bound by the rule’s adoption. Peter Webb, the Maine Basketball commissioner and a member of the national basketball committee, said the Maine Basketball Commission will study the rule and decide whether to recommend it to the Maine Principals’ Association basketball committee. Should it receive a recommendation from the MBC the basketball committee would study the rule and make a final recommendation to the principals for a vote.

“I just can’t envision Maine using it,” Webb said. “It’s hard for me to envision any state wanting to do it.”

And if a sampling of coaches and administrators taken Friday is any indication, the rule would not be popular if adopted.

“It’s going to hurt your team concept because you’re probably not going to get your subs in,” Presque Isle athletic director Dave Heald said. “You want to encourage your substitutes and keep them interested.

Heald has served on the Maine Principals’ Association basketball committee as an Eastern Maine Class A representative. He recently stepped down when Presque Isle announced its move from Class A to B beginning with the 2003-2004 school year. He said that the team concept has already been damaged by the adoption of the 3-point shot.

“You get a 10-to-12-point lead now and a couple of threes gets you right back in the game. It eliminated some playing time for subs,” Heald said.

Foxcroft Academy boys basketball coach David Carey sees players who have earned playing time getting less than they should with a mercy rule.

“You start running a clock instead of getting a whole quarter in they might get only four minutes. You’re taking time away from kids who work real hard in practice. To me it’s not a positive thing to go with a running clock,” Carey said.

Garry Spencer serves on the state’s basketball committee and is the assistant principal at Central High School in Corinth. Spencer was unaware the national committee had adopted the rule and said he would oppose the state putting it into play.

“I believe that they can’t put basketball in the same arena as baseball and softball. One is timed and the other is not,” Spencer said.

He went on to draw an analogy between baseball and basketball. He pointed out an inning in baseball could last 45 minutes if a team is strong offensively. While in basketball the teams will play four, eight-minute quarters regardless of a team’s strength.

“I don’t think there is a need for a mercy rule in any activity that is timed. What’s next? Football?” Spencer said.

The national association has, in fact, adopted a mercy rule for football. But Maine did not integrate it into its football rulebook. However, a form of the rule is used.

Ralph Damren, a longtime high school football official and a member of the national football committee, said state football officials use a “consent rule.”

“On occasion, if both teams agree to shorten the game, to play with running time, we do that but there isn’t an official mercy rule,” Damren said.

Free throw lane change

The national committee also adopted a change in how players will be allowed to position themselves during free throws.

The change limits the number of players to six, not including the free-throw shooter, with four defensive players and two offensive players in the mix. The spaces on each side of the lane closest to the shooter must be vacant.

“I think the important thing is that the rule itself has not changed,” Webb said. “It only limits the number of people involved. It doesn’t change configurations or what players can do.”

Don Perryman can be reached at 990-8045, 1-800-310-8600 or dperryman@bangordailynews.net