Ray Giacoletti (file photo)
Drake basketball coach Ray Giacoletti hopes a trip overseas this Summer will give the Bulldogs a head start on playing with a shorter shot clock. Beginning with next season the a 30-second shot clock will be implemented in college basketball. That’s down from 35 seconds.
Giacoletti says they have 10 practices to prepare and then will play with the new clock overseas, and that should help them be ready. Giacoletti says he has visited with several NBA coaches about the change and says teams will need to be more efficient at the end of the clock on offense.
“Defensively I think it really is going to come down to being disciplined and not bailing someone out with fouls,” Giacoletti. He says teams that foul with under 7 seconds on the clock will get themselves in trouble.
Giacoletti says college basketball is already very popular and did not feel the change was necessary. “By cutting the clock 5 seconds by each possession…you are going get more possessions, but I don’t necessarily think that equates to more scoring,” Giacoletti says.
The Bulldogs travel to Italy in August.