Alaina Dadzie of Loyalsock puts up a shot against Central Columbia at Shikellamy High School. Central won 40-39. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

As high school baseball and softball playoffs rage on, we take little break from the diamond here, as we discuss an important basketball item.

A PIAA survey is circulating across the state, asking schools whether they are in favor of taking basketball out of the peach basket era and adopting a long, long, long overdue shot clock no earlier than the 2026-27 season.

While the common sense answer should be an emphatic 100 % yes vote across the state, I have my doubts. I am already hearing a bunch of easily debunked excuses and my fear is Pennsylvania will stay stuck in the 1950s.

Really, though, it should not come down to a survey. The PIAA should simply say this is what we are doing, so get on board. The last time a survey was completed, in 2022, 50.8 % voted against a shot clock and 49.2 % (the smart, non-basketball dinosaurs) in favor of it.

But before the 2024-25 season, the PIAA did the right thing and looked at bringing in the shot clock on its own. Unfortunately, the basketball committee, which I assume is made up of people who have no concept of what real late 20th century, let alone 21st century, basketball looks like shot it down, 9-5. Shame on those nine who are trapped in the days where holding the basketball for a quarter or more was all the rage.

So, at any point, the PIAA has the power to implement this if the committee wakes up and realizes, like Marty McFly, that it’s not 1955 anymore. But for now we’re in the survey arena and schools, many who likely already voted, should be embarrassed if they voted against the measure.

Let’s backtrack for a minutes. Four years ago, the NFHS adopted a rule that allowed states to permit a 35-second shot clock. Since then the PIAA has had the ball in its court … or kicked the ball toward the schools.

Still, Pennsylvania has stayed in the stone ages despite the NFHS saying 31 states and Washington D.C already have and/or will have shot clocks required by the 2026-27 season.

So let’s break down some of the most common excuses out there against a shot clock. Really, none have to do with actual basketball, which is the shame of it.

I repeatedly hear people whining about the cost. And yet high schools all have football play clocks at their field, so this is a hypocritical, illogical argument.

Next is the “Someone has to be trained to operate it,” complaint. Uh, once again, it’s the same thing in football and schools have no trouble having someone operate the play clock.

Then, it’s the “Well, the shot clock rules are more complicated than football play clock.” Listen, this is not NASA and we’re not sending astronauts into space. We’re not splitting the atom. It’s a shot clock for crying out loud, stop acting like it’s some advanced calculus equation that needs solved.

And for the love of everything, when did this state become such uninitiated? Is the Pennsylvania high school basketball mantra now, “Why bother? It seems hard.”

Do they tell the students, “Well, that class is tough, so just avoid it?” Of course not. This is America. We put a man on the moon, but we can’t figure out a shot clock? Give me a break.

All these excuses are as weak as any Aaron Rodgers performance in big games over the last 10 years.

Don’t forget either about the people against a shot clock who say, “Play defense!” Again, they do play defense. Ask a defensive back in football to cover a wide receiver for a long duration. Of course that receiver will eventually get open.

It’s the same in basketball. A team can play smothering defense for a minute or longer and still not get the ball back. It’s a cop out just like all these other lame excuses are.

Honestly, there is not one logical explanation for avoiding the shot clock other than laziness and/or an inability to adopt to sports life after the 1970s. In a non-shot clock world, teams literally can hold the ball for entire quarters–and some still do–embarrassing the game in the process. Teams often start stalling seemingly anytime they take a lead of five or more points. It absolutely ruins the excitement of the games, not to mention does nothing to prepare those who will be playing in college where a shot clock is used.

Stop rewarding teams for being cowards. When football teams gain leads, they can’t just hold the ball for the entire third or fourth quarter. They can’t deliberately avoid running plays and let the time run out in the first half to shorten the game and increase their odds of winning.

It should be no different in basketball. More than 30 states have figured this out and it’s time Pennsylvania joins the club.

So, to those who have not yet responded to the survey, do the right thing and vote yes.

And to the PIAA, you have the power, so use it. Chances are the vote will again be down the middle, so take the initiative and implement this long, long, long overdue change.

If the yes vote carries the majority, you have the easy answer. But even if it’s slightly no as it was last time, there is no more excuse. Shove all the illogical excuses back in their faces and tell them to get with the times.

Right now Pennsylvania looks like a joke since so many states quickly are embracing the shot clock. Look at your clocks, look at the date. It’s 2025 now. It’s time.

The seconds are ticking away, but to all the schools, to the PIAA, you can still win. You can go Jimmy Chitwood and hit the buzzer-beater that changes everything for the better.

Be a sports hero. Modernize Pennsylvania high school basketball … at last.

–Masse may be reached at cmasse@sungazette.com. Follow him on Twitter at @docmasse