Game Change
Previous format
• Four 8-minute quarters
New format
• Two 18-minute halves (on a one-year trial basis)
Results of change
• Causes coaches to use more players.
• Improves game flow. Teams often held the ball at the end of quarters for a final shot rather than running a normal offense.
MONROE - One month into the high school basketball season, area coaches and players are adjusting to a world with two halves in a game that is four minutes longer.
"The teams with a lot of talent are not complaining about it," Monroe High School boys basketball coach Pat Murphy said. "The teams with a lot of depth, it helps them. I don't know if more is always better. I look more at the quality than the quantity."
The WIAA shifted varsity basketball games from four eight-minute quarters to two 18-minute halves on a trial basis this year.
Two early trends for teams is more scoring and more athletes getting playing time.
Murphy has consistently used a 10-man rotation so far this season, and he has played 11 players in three games. The Monroe boys basketball team is averaging about nine points per game more this year (55.6 ppg) than last year (46.8 ppg).
"The WIAA wanted more kids to play, and they are achieving that goal," Murphy said. "I think players are getting tired sooner and that is leading to more fouls."
The Monroe girls basketball team is averaging about 22 points more per game this year (59) than last year (37.5). Monroe girls basketball coach Sam Mathiason said he's not sure how much of the increase in scoring is tied to a game that is 12.5 percent longer than last year.
"For us, I think it has more to do with our shooting percentage," he said. "We are shooting better this year."
The Cheesemakers are shooting 43 percent as a team through seven games this season compared to 29.6 percent over all of last year.
Mathiason said the longer game with two halves forces coaches to monitor players to see how they are feeling conditioning-wise without the added bonus of having a built-in break at the end of the first and third quarters.
Teams can no longer just hold the ball, milk the clock and take the last shot at the end of the first three quarters. However, there is no shot clock in prep basketball and teams can still play at a slower, more deliberate pace.
"It changes how you are subbing," Mathiason said. "Each game is different. It depends on how much up and down the game goes. It's still a work in progress to start to get that feel for when you need to sub. You just learn on the fly."
Some coaches are taking timeouts at the 9-minute mark to give their teams a breather similar to the break that was built into games at the end of quarters.
Mathiason said with the game being 12.5 percent longer, the goal for the Cheesemakers is to give up 45 points or less each game.
Coaches are given three full timeouts and two 30-second timeouts during the game.
"I just wish they would have added one more full timeout to the equation," Murphy said.
With the longer games, some coaches are making more substitutions, but not necessarily using more practice time for running.
Murphy said the boys basketball team builds conditioning into every drill they use in practice.
Mathiason agreed that longer games hasn't changed the way he approaches conditioning in practice.
"We are not running any more this year than we did in the past," he said.
Some coaches are using more practice time to focus on late-game situations, like inbounds plays. In the heat of the moment, there may not be enough time during a timeout to go over each scenario.
"Now you have to do that in practice through repetition," Murphy said.
The Brodhead girls basketball team, ranked No. 7 in the WisSports.net Division 3 Coaches poll, is averaging 10 points more per game this year (65.5) than last year (55.6). Through six games, the Cardinals are shooting an average of 20.3 free throws per game, but that is a slight decrease from last season (25.6 free throws per game).
"Ideally, I think you will see more free throws at the end of games," Brodhead girls basketball coach Brian Kammerer said. "The extension of the game is like you are playing an overtime game every game. When you are late in the game and kids are tired, you will see a lack of defensive play and more teams getting to the free-throw line."
Kammerer said there have been three games the Cardinals have won by coming from behind in the final 4 minutes this season.
"We can't complain much," he said. "That may have been the difference in wins and losses. When you are not deep and get into foul trouble it hurts."
Badger South Conference games have installed a requirement in which three officials are used for games this year instead of the two officials they used last year. In the tournament last year, three officials were used for games and the Badger Conference made the move to make the regular season the same.
The switch to three officials for Badger Conference games and the new emphasis on not allowing arm bars in the post could lead to even more teams seeing an increase in free throws this year.
"I'm just hoping they are seeing the fouls off the ball," Murphy said.
"The teams with a lot of talent are not complaining about it," Monroe High School boys basketball coach Pat Murphy said. "The teams with a lot of depth, it helps them. I don't know if more is always better. I look more at the quality than the quantity."
The WIAA shifted varsity basketball games from four eight-minute quarters to two 18-minute halves on a trial basis this year.
Two early trends for teams is more scoring and more athletes getting playing time.
Murphy has consistently used a 10-man rotation so far this season, and he has played 11 players in three games. The Monroe boys basketball team is averaging about nine points per game more this year (55.6 ppg) than last year (46.8 ppg).
"The WIAA wanted more kids to play, and they are achieving that goal," Murphy said. "I think players are getting tired sooner and that is leading to more fouls."
The Monroe girls basketball team is averaging about 22 points more per game this year (59) than last year (37.5). Monroe girls basketball coach Sam Mathiason said he's not sure how much of the increase in scoring is tied to a game that is 12.5 percent longer than last year.
"For us, I think it has more to do with our shooting percentage," he said. "We are shooting better this year."
The Cheesemakers are shooting 43 percent as a team through seven games this season compared to 29.6 percent over all of last year.
Mathiason said the longer game with two halves forces coaches to monitor players to see how they are feeling conditioning-wise without the added bonus of having a built-in break at the end of the first and third quarters.
Teams can no longer just hold the ball, milk the clock and take the last shot at the end of the first three quarters. However, there is no shot clock in prep basketball and teams can still play at a slower, more deliberate pace.
"It changes how you are subbing," Mathiason said. "Each game is different. It depends on how much up and down the game goes. It's still a work in progress to start to get that feel for when you need to sub. You just learn on the fly."
Some coaches are taking timeouts at the 9-minute mark to give their teams a breather similar to the break that was built into games at the end of quarters.
Mathiason said with the game being 12.5 percent longer, the goal for the Cheesemakers is to give up 45 points or less each game.
Coaches are given three full timeouts and two 30-second timeouts during the game.
"I just wish they would have added one more full timeout to the equation," Murphy said.
With the longer games, some coaches are making more substitutions, but not necessarily using more practice time for running.
Murphy said the boys basketball team builds conditioning into every drill they use in practice.
Mathiason agreed that longer games hasn't changed the way he approaches conditioning in practice.
"We are not running any more this year than we did in the past," he said.
Some coaches are using more practice time to focus on late-game situations, like inbounds plays. In the heat of the moment, there may not be enough time during a timeout to go over each scenario.
"Now you have to do that in practice through repetition," Murphy said.
The Brodhead girls basketball team, ranked No. 7 in the WisSports.net Division 3 Coaches poll, is averaging 10 points more per game this year (65.5) than last year (55.6). Through six games, the Cardinals are shooting an average of 20.3 free throws per game, but that is a slight decrease from last season (25.6 free throws per game).
"Ideally, I think you will see more free throws at the end of games," Brodhead girls basketball coach Brian Kammerer said. "The extension of the game is like you are playing an overtime game every game. When you are late in the game and kids are tired, you will see a lack of defensive play and more teams getting to the free-throw line."
Kammerer said there have been three games the Cardinals have won by coming from behind in the final 4 minutes this season.
"We can't complain much," he said. "That may have been the difference in wins and losses. When you are not deep and get into foul trouble it hurts."
Badger South Conference games have installed a requirement in which three officials are used for games this year instead of the two officials they used last year. In the tournament last year, three officials were used for games and the Badger Conference made the move to make the regular season the same.
The switch to three officials for Badger Conference games and the new emphasis on not allowing arm bars in the post could lead to even more teams seeing an increase in free throws this year.
"I'm just hoping they are seeing the fouls off the ball," Murphy said.
