The Piedmont Highlander

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The Piedmont Highlander

The Piedmont Highlander

Students work the shot clock at basketball games

Students+work+the+shot+clock+at+basketball+games

Crowds leap to their feet as the the basketball glides through the net, making the iconic “swish” noise that both players and coaches love to hear.

Who shot that? What period is it? Did we just miss something?

These are all questions that rapidly move through a shot-clock operator’s mind, as they attempt to thrive under pressure.

People may not realize it, but focus and attention to detail are all critical when scoring such a fast paced game.

“The pressure you feel during your first varsity game is really, really high,” junior Jeff Asa-Hauser said.  “As you start to do it more frequently, it becomes easier.”

This is Asa-Hauser’s second year running the shot clock and he says he still gets the jitters before games due to some embarrassing incidents when he was a novice.

“One time I was running the clock off more than the ref wanted me to, so the clock hit zero and Piedmont started celebrating,” he said. “But then he walked back over and told me to put 1.4 back on the clock.  Coach Lav lit up in flames.”

IMG_8114Although for most this is their first year scorekeeping, this is the second for Junior Akshai Wadhwani, who feels a different type of pressure that usually is not alleviated by pressing the right button.

“I’m what’s known as an assigner,” he said. “I have to make sure there is at least one person working the clock at each game… which doesn’t always happen… like today.”

After noticing a flier, Wadhwani signed up immediately. He was in love with idea of being paid to watch live basketball.

He worked last year as a regular scorekeeper, but was promoted this year after athletic director Craig Best felt his management skills should be put to better use. Now he is in charge of making sure someone is working every game.

“It’s a lot more pressure,” Wadhwani said. “If people don’t show up then it is pretty much always on me.”

While the level of operator experience is different every year, Wadwhani believes he has trained the new recruits to meet men’s varsity head coach, Chris Lavdiotis’ specifications.

Throughout his 23 years coaching for Piedmont, Lavdiotis said that he has dealt with some pretty clueless students, but this year’s are some of the best he has seen.

“ I won’t name any names… but there are some schools that are notorious for their shot clock operators,” he said. “Our guys are doing a really great job.”    

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