Things sure got busy around the hardwood

As we head into the final days of January and the last full month of regular season basketball play for this 2021-22 season, things certainly got busy in the past few days and will continue to be that way looking forward.

Weather delays combined with COVID-19 postponements during the season, seemed to catch up with us last week and this week, and things have certainly gotten busy in and around the gymnasium.

Between makeups and regular season scheduled games, five separate outings this week involve basketball games for Clinton County somewhere.

In addition to girls’ trips on Monday and Tuesday of this week (Edmonson County and McCreary Central, respectively), the Dawgs played host to Pulaski County Tuesday, followed by double-header action here against Russell County on Friday night and a boys varsity hosting of Madison Southern on Saturday afternoon.

Hang on, it doesn’t really slow up any from now until the end of March, but that’s what we love about high school hoops in Kentucky.

Re-birth of the Booster Club Radio Auction

The Clinton County Basketball Booster Club will bring back one of the community’s favorite events this year, the Booster Club Radio Auction.

Halted last year during the COVID-19 disaster, the auction will have a rebirth this year.

Plans are currently centered around the traditional date of the Friday night following the last regular home basketball game, which places the Auction falling on February 18.

Of course that places the event smack dab in-between regular season play and the beginning of post-season play, the 16th District Tournament, which is set to be hosted by Clinton County the week of February 21-25.

Changes are coming for the 16th District

You’ve probably noticed from the front page article this week that the 16th District lineup will change starting next year.

The addition of Foundation Christian School in Bowling Green has prompted the KHSAA to change the districts in our 4th Region.

A reliable source told me that the changes were made in this manner, despite a letter against the move being sent to the KHSAA that had been signed by 11 of 15 superintendents.

Bottom line is that our 16th District will be a five-team district going forward, meaning that the member schools will have to adopt a new policy as to which team gets the first round bye (most likely the No. 1 seed) and how the remaining four teams will line up for first round play.

The change also moved Warren East out of the 14th District and into the 15th District. The bottom line there is that shapes things up for the possibility of three teams from Bowling Green being able to advance to the 4th Region Tournament out of district play.

That makes me just want to spit.

No shot clock

Another change that was debated in last week’s meeting was the addition of a “shot-clock” to the high school game.

At present, the National Federation of State High School Associations is leaving it up to individual states to decide if a shot clock is added to play at the high school level, and after last week’s KHSAA action to not implement the device, we won’t be seeing it in Kentucky games for now.

I’m not seeing a need as far as play is concerned, and beyond that, the expense of adding the equipment and perhaps having to pay an operator for each home game would be an extreme burden on small, already cash strapped programs such as Clinton County’s.

Operating a shot clock isn’t something that one of the other Official Table personnel can simply add to their duties – it’s would take a new, additional and dedicated person paying more attention to the game than the rest of those who are sitting there.

It ain’t broke. No need to fix it.