Longer games in Wisconsin may favor deeper teams

For one year at least, quarters are out in high school basketball games in Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association board voted Thursday to change varsity games from four eight-minute quarters to two 18-minute halves for a one-year trial. JV teams will play two 16-minute halves.

The move is expected to help deeper teams because games will be four minutes longer. Games should also have more flow with teams not able to stall for a last-second shot as often. Colleges, clubs and Minnesota high schools already play with halves.

Hurley boys coach Mike Swartz voted for it in a survey a couple of months ago. He expects to be able to use his bench more with the longer games.

"I just think that it's going to be easier for substitution, getting kids in there, getting them more of a feel of the game," Swartz said.

Mercer girls coach Shannon Hiller likes the change, but it has drawbacks also.

"As just a coach in general, I love it," Hiller said. "I love the college format. I love the halves vs. quarters. As a coach of a small rural Wisconsin team, I don't like the fact I'm adding four minutes to the game because I don't have the numbers. That's four extra minutes I have to worry about foul trouble, being tired."

Swartz wasn't sure how the additional time would affect his team down the stretch in the 22-game season.

"Especially in back-to-back games, we'll see how we hold up fatigue wise," Swartz said. "I always tell the boys our goal is to be the best conditioned team in the state.

"I think it's going to help a team that is deeper. If we get some guys in foul trouble, if we have some guys to sub in where there isn't as much of a letdown."

Hiller likes the way the game flows better with halves.

"I'm a coach who likes to let things play out," he said. "Even against Bessemer (in summer league this week), we were down 10. I don't instantly call timeout."

"When you look at the last minute, minute and a half as a coach, when you have a lead, you might sit on it a little bit more because you want to preserve your lead," Hiller said. "When you go with halves, you only have one opportunity to do that. When you have quarters, you have three."

Momentum happened to switch against Hurley on four occasions this past year with end-of-quarter plays that went against them.

The running clock mercy rule that kicks in with teams up by 40 points moves from the start of the fourth quarter to nine minutes left in the second half and the five-quarter rule changes to the three-half rule, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. That rule details how much combined JV and varsity playing time a single player can have in a single day.

Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association President Dan Burreson said no additional timeouts were added.

School scoring records could be under additional pressure. This gives teams an additional 88 minutes in the regular season with the records already under siege after regular seasons went from 20 to 22 games a number of years ago.

Hiller expects a shot clock to be next to prevent teams from stalling to maintain a lead.

"I'm a very big proponent of a shot clock," he said.

The WIAA also voted to change the way postseason tournaments are grouped.

Instead of seeding a six-team regional tournament like the Hurley boys were a part of last season, for example, two regionals will combine to form a half bracket. If there are 12 teams, they will be seeded one through 12 with the winner advancing to the sectional final.

In a six-team regional, Hurley typically has played one or two of them during the regional season. With 12 teams, Hurley might still have only played one or two of them, forcing coaches to seed many more teams they haven’t seen.

The travel has the potential to become excessive for northern teams' regional games, which are played on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Next year’s half-bracket for Hurley includes teams south of Wisconsin 29 and to the Minnesota border with Grantsburg and St. Croix Falls.