Time
Out!
By Doug Levy
OtVmEmanU
The score is 70-60, and the game is seemingly out
of reach The fans begin to scatter out of McArthur
Court, only a diehard few remaining. But down on the
court, Jim Haney and the Ducks have not given up
Fred Cofield nets a top-of-the-key jumper.
Time out, Oregon
Slowly the Ducks edge closer; Haney is substituting
a defensive team for an offensive team at every time out
Gary Gatewood, inserted into the defensive lineup for
his quickness, makes a steal off a deflected pass and
stuffs - Oregon is within 74-68
But it’s not enough Eventually, the Ducks come out
on the short end of the score, 76-70, but Haney man
aged to use time outs to put a scare into a Washington
team that thought it had the ballgame under wraps
r-or mosi or us. a lime out
means having a minute to get a
Coke or exchange some gossip
To players and coaches it sig
nifies something completely dif
ferent. What goes on in the
huddle during a time out that
can change the outcome of a
game?
First we need to know some
facts A team is allowed seven
time outs per game, and no
more than five within a half.
Each of those are 60-seconds
long — give or take a few extra
moments a crafty coach can
sneak
This means that a coach
does not have many opportuni
ties to stop the flow of the game,
so every time out must be used
craftily. Most coaches use their
time in the huddle to discuss a
certain strategy, make neces
sary adjustments, or simply halt
the momentum of the opposing
team
' Early in the game, most time outs serve as
momentum stoppers.’ says Duck mentor Haney ‘You
want to emphasize where your breakdowns are coming
trom, and make an adjustment if necessary.”
Haney is a young coach whose reputation has not
yet been thoroughly established, so he is always willing
to listen to player input ‘‘Yes, I think input from the
players is critical. You must be receptive if a player has
something helpful to say ”
Two other Pac-10 coaches. George Raveling of
Washington State and Marv Harshman of Washington,
have been around, and each has his own view of what’s
important during a time out.
“I think there are three things I try to do at every
time out,” says Raveling, generally acknowledged to be
the flashiest coach in the Pac-10 “You have to be
positive, not try and cover too much, and make one
adjustment on offense or defense ’
Harshman, the dean of Pac-10 coaches, is more
simplistic with his views "I'll make an adjustment once
in a while, but generally the time outs are to relieve
energy and enforce the pattern of what we re trying to
do ”
Unlike Haney, both of the Washington coaches
take a dim view of player input "It's okay to have a
player say something, but often you just get every guy
talking when that happens It is important to have only
one guy doing the talking,” says Raveling.
"I don't know — the players usually don't listen
even when I talk,” jokes Harshman
Time outs also depend on whether the coach is
considered a "bench” coach or a sideline " coach
Raveling can usually be spotted near the scorer s table
at Mac Court games, exhorting his team on while
shouting out instructions
Harshman, definitely a bench coach, will almost
always wait until the time out to make changes, but he is
quick to add, "I’ll take a time out only if we really need
one ”
Two nights before Oregon's loss to the Huskies, the
Ducks clung to a slim lead over Washington State.
57-55 The Cougars had the ball with only 36 seconds
left
As the Ducks swarm the Cougar offense, the Mac
Court crowd roars at a thunderous pitch Raveling is
forced to spend a time out The Cougars set a play in the
huddle, but things were different on the court With
nothing open, Tyrone Brown tries a tough shot from the
top of the key The ball gets only rim, Dave Brantley
rebounds, and Oregon is on its way to a 60-56 win
"The crowd noise definitely got to us We tried to
overload the zone, but there was nothing there,” says
Raveling Raveling didn't know it, but on the other end
of the court Haney and the Ducks were prepared for
Raveling's move during their huddle
"We went to a 1-3-1 zone They didn't have much
time, so they would probably have to take an outside
shot,” says the Oregon coach
The Ducks won a close one, and Haney was tired,
but happy "Your time outs and what you (the coach) do
is more important in a close game You feel like you did
more.”
Two nights later against UW, Haney and the Ducks
were in the same situation as the Cougars Haney took
full advantage of his time outs in the last two minutes,
but all they accomplished was just a delay
Jim did well, notes Harshman "That's why you
save your time outs.”
Friday, January 29,1982
r
Timeouts can alter
the outcome, or just
delay the inevitable
w
Photo by Steve Dykes
“You want to emphasize where your breakdowns are coming from, and make an adjustment it necessary,"
says Oregon coach Jim Haney about his stratety during timeouts.
Photo by Steve Dykes
Most coaches, like Arizona State’s Ned Wulk pictured below In the huddle, conserve their time outs in case
their needed late In a game.
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