Tick. Tick. Tick.

Time may be running down on the days when there is no shot clock in Pennsylvania high school basketball.

And many area coaches can't wait.

"It can't come soon enough," said Union boys basketball coach KarenDavis, perhaps the most ardent supporter of a shot clock in high school basketball. "It will make the game more exciting. Who likes to sit and watch a team hold the ball? No one enjoys that. No one enjoys pass and pass and pass and pass. It's enough to drive you nuts."

While Davis is still waiting for the day when there is a shot clock suspended above every high school backboard, her wait might be shorter than she thinks.

This season, eight states have a shot clock in one form or another in high school basketball. Ten years ago, none had the shot clock.

The 35-second clock is the accepted norm in those states.

The topic has grown legs recently because the style of the game has changed, several coaches said.

"I think we are ready for it," Davis said. "You very seldom see coaches hold the ball anymore. The tempo of the game has changed and the game has advanced, especially girls basketball. I think the time has come."

A game in Vermont last winter brought the topic even more to the forefront.

Bellows Free Academy-Fairfax beat Milton High 5-2 in a high school boys basketball game in that state.

Milton High deliberately held the ball. Neither team scored in the second half.

That game is the reason why many coaches are clamoring for a shot clock around the country.

Coaches in Butler County are no exception.

Butler coach Joe Lewandowski has a unique perspective on the shot clock.

When he played in Europe, he saw how the clock was used at nearly ever level.

And he saw how it helped the younger players over there.

"In Europe, all the kids play with a shot clock," Lewandowski said. "Fundamentally, they are a lot better. I just think with a shot clock you create better players and you're going to see a better game."

While the offensive impact is obvious — teams would have only 35 seconds to get a shot off — Lewandowski said the impact will also be felt on defense.

Suddenly, a defense can sit back and wait for the offense to come to it, instead of being forced out on an offense content to hold the ball.

"The scores will drop at first," Lewandowski said. "A defense doesn't need to go out and pressure a team. They can wait for the offense to come to them because, with a 35-second shot clock, the offense will have to attack the basket at some point."

Lewandowski said scoring eventually would increase as players get more skilled and knowledgeable about the shot clock.

Coaches also realize the skill level of their players must rise as well.

"You're not going to be able to just play five guys," Lewandowski said. "You have to utilize more kids. You can't have anyone on the floor who is not skilled.

"The kids' basketball IQ will go up and their skill level will go up."

Not all coaches are giddy at the prospect of a shot clock.

Moniteau boys coach RandyArmagost is one of the few who are against a shot clock in high school basketball.

"There are pros and cons to it, but I really don't see any problem with high school basketball right now," Armagost said. "It sounds like making a change for the sake of making a change. Why change something that is not broken?"

Grove City coach DonFee, the dean of coaches in the area with 17 years on the bench, has no preference either way.

"I don't have any feelings on it," Fee said. "I'm on the fence, I guess."

Fee said he would like it more if it would be a 45-second clock instead of 35.

"You could still work some clock," Fee said. "I'm not opposed to it, I just don't want it to be too drastic."

One of Armagost's biggest concerns with a shot clock is it puts even more pressure on young players.

"These are 15- to 18-year-old kids," Armagost said. "Here you are giving them one more thing to worry about. You're going to see even more poor shot selection. It's going to affect girls more than boys."

Knoch girls basketball coach Curt Vasas hadn't given the topic much thought.

But when he did, he came to the conclusion a shot clock might not be such a bad idea.

"I would not be opposed to it," he said. "It would definitely bring a different style to the game. It would put a premium on good defense. I would think it would reward good defense."

Vasas said a team could now go all out on defense, knowing that it has to defend for only 35 seconds.

But like any major rule change, Vasas said a time for adjustment would be needed before any effect, good or bad, could be determined.

"It may force bad shots until teams learn how to adapt," Vasas said. "But I don't really see any downside to it."

Moniteau girls coach Mark Yeager also doesn't see a downside.

"I'd like to see it," he said. "It would speed up the game. I don't know why any coach would be against it."

Cost is also a concern. Schools would have to install shot clocks, which cost up to $1,000 each.

With schools already under a budget crunch, that could be a tall order.

But Lewandowski doesn't buy that argument.

"I've seen (junior college) programs on a shoestring budget have no problem getting shot clocks," he said.

All coaches do agree on one thing: the shot clock is coming to Pennsylvania — someday.

"I don't think there is any doubt about that," Armagost said. "It's just a matter of time. It's coming, sooner or later."