AfterShocks | 7/17/2019 11:36:00 AM

 
AfterShocks coach Karon Bradley first mentioned the Elam Ending at the team lunch on Tuesday. He has some explaining to do. 
 
Many of his players are familiar with the no-clock, win-with-a-basket finale for The Basketball Tournament games. Some are not.
 
"I've heard a little bit about it, but I haven't really read that much into it," guard Conner Frankamp said. "I like it. It will be fun to see how it goes."
 
The Elam Ending, used first in 2018 by TBT, aims to remove intentional fouling, free throws and stalling that often characterize the final minutes of a game. It also aims to increase the chance for a rally. Ball State University professor Nick Elam developed the plan and TBT will use it again in 2019.
 
"You can't play the possessions game at the very end," AfterShocks center Garrett Stutz said. "You've got to get stops and you've got to make buckets."
 
In other words, keep playing basketball. 
 
The rules: After the first dead ball under four minutes to play, the clock is off and eight points are added to the leading score. That sets the target to win. For example, a score of 60-52 means the first team to 68 wins. If the stoppage in play produces free throws, eight points are added after the shots.
 
"Guys are familiar with it for the most part," Bradley said. "We talked about some different strategies. If you haven't been used to playing it, it's like 'Whoa.' The clock shuts off and it's a different system."
 
The point, coaches and players say, is to create more action and reduce fouling, rushed shots and stoppages. Every game ends on a field goal or free throw to produce the winning score.
 
"It's pretty interesting, to say the least," forward Zach Brown said. "It's good for (the TBT), for sure. This is supposed to be entertaining. You're supposed to keep going up and down." 
 
The TBT website documents some of the most entertaining finishes from 2018. It may, as some pointed out, diminish the importance of good foul shooting. It also, as Brown mentioned, may help big men stay on the floor late in games, even if they aren't good foul shooters.
 
Stutz played with the Elam Ending in informal scrimmages. He's seen some teams take an intentional foul or timeout to trigger the whistle and stop a scoring run by the opposing team. He enjoyed the pressure of late-game free throws. Beyond that aspect, he largely approves of the drama created by the Elam Ending. 
 
"I like the concept of 'Somebody has to make a basket to win a game,'" he said.
 
Bradley expects to continue discussing the Elam Ending throughout practices and meetings up until the July 25 game vs. Iowa United. The strategy is simple.
 
"For me, if we're up – and I plan on being up – we need to keep playing like we've been playing," Bradley said. "We're going to stay aggressive and stay in attack."

The AfterShocks open TBT play vs. Iowa United on July 25 at Koch Arena (8 p.m. ESPN).
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.