Thursday, the NSAA board voted 7 – 1 to approve a shot clock for Class B schools.
The members that voted for were from District I, II, III, IV and VI.
The Class B approved proposal mirrors the Class A proposal that was approved on a pilot basis for the 2022-23 season. However the Class B proposal was to permanently implement it beginning in 2022-23.
The one key element of the proposal, for example, if a Class C-1 school is the away team at a Class B school the visiting team can choose to play with a shot clock should they wish.
Class Shot Clock Permanent in A
In March of 2022 the NSAA board voted to approve the shot clock for Class A schools only on a trial basis (one year). Thursday, the board voted 8-0 to approve the shot clock for Class A on a permanent basis.
In May of 2021 the National Federation of State High School Associations gave its blessing to the state associations for adoption of a 35-second shot clock beginning in the 2022-23 season.
Lincoln Keeps State Basketball
The board also voted 8-0 to keep the boys and girls state basketball tournaments in Lincoln for another five years. Lincoln was the only city in Nebraska to submit information to the NSAA to host the tournaments.
The 2023 tournaments were played at only Pinnacle Bank Arena and Bob Devaney Sports Center. By all accounts moving the tournaments from a three day format where Lincoln Public Schools were used as host to a four day tournament at two locations was a success.
Transfer Ruling
The board voted 6-2 in favor of a transfer eligibility change.
The proposal, which was authored by Bellevue East Athletic Director Chad Hotltz passed the District II January meeting by a vote of 69-10-7. It reads…
If a transfer student who did not meet the May 1st deadline, is enrolled at the school they transferred to on the first day of classes, that student would be immediately eligible on the last day of the moratorium. After 90 school school days or if a student begins the school year at his/her school that they transferred to and did not meet the May 1st deadline, that the student would be immediately eligible after the 1st semester or last day of the moratorium.
What this does is make the athlete in question or transfer eligible for Holiday basketball tournaments or move it up by a week or two depending when the school year starts for that specific athlete.
Football Forfeits
Schools not being able to finish seasons due to injuries or new schools not playing a full varsity schedule has been a hot topic in recent years. Thursday, the board voted 8-0 to approve an action item allowing a few more week zero games in 2023.
Lincoln Standing Bear will open in the fall and eventually, maybe under 10 years, be a Class A school according to projections. Last year when the two-year football scheduling cycle was added Standing Bear was a part of that schedule as a varsity Class B school. In 2023 they will not play a varsity football schedule leaving a handful of schools searching for an opponent. Thursday, the board approved a handful of week zero games as a replacement. Elkhorn North will face Beatrice, Blair vs Norris, Lincoln Northwest vs Lincoln Pius X and Omaha Westview will play Crete in week zero.
