There are 99 reasons not to run up a score in HS hoops

107 to 8…
That was the score of a 1A boys’ basketball game last Friday.
What?
When I saw that score, I couldn’t believe that it was real nor could I understand how a score like that could actually happen. My visceral reaction was that it was just...wrong, on so many levels.
What did the players on the winning team get out of the win? And how demoralizing and embarrassing that must have been for kids who took that defeat!
I remember watching a game when my son was in school where his team was getting it handed to them and the mercy rule was applied early in the second half. 
As the fourth quarter was winding down, I was watching the clock praying that the coach didn’t let his team score 100 points against our kids who were still playing their hearts out to try to defend against that powerhouse team. Fortunately, that didn’t happen but getting beat by 70 plus points was devastating to my son and his team.
I cannot even imagine how it felt for parents and fans to watch their kids, their team, get beat by 99 points.
I was not at the game so I don’t know how this eventuality came to be, but I can only imagine that the winning team must have had a 40 point lead at the half, which would mean the third and fourth quarters would have implemented a running clock according to the mercy rule.
Knowing that the second half would have been over quickly due to the running clock, the fact that the victors put up 107 points and defended their opponent to only eight is mindblowing.
Obviously, the two teams were on different levels when it came to talent, and equally as obvious is that the winners had a commanding lead early in the game. 
As a former coach, I cannot for the life of me, think of any reason why the coach could not have kept his team from running up the score in the manner they did.
Did he pull his starters? The argument that they should get to play even though their opponent can’t keep up holds no water in this situation. What good are those players getting out of a game situation like that?
Yes, you have to think about quarters of play for your second string since you can’t exceed six in a night. But at the same time, you can rotate in such a way as to not have all of your top players on the court at the same time.
Did the coach mandate that the five on the court had to make a certain number of passes, or a certain number of cuts before taking a shot? 
You can designate specific situations in which a shot may be taken. You can require that players use their non-dominant hand to dribble and shoot.
There are a plethora of options a coach can utilize to slow his team down on the offensive end. 
Did he back off the defense? You can have your players work a shell drill like you would in practice, or run a zone where they pack in the paint and don’t go for steals. Obviously, you can’t ask your team to quit playing, but there are tactics you can use to keep from running up the score.
A game that ends with a score of 107-8 is not even a game. It’s the bully kicking sand into the face of the little guy on the beach. It’s feeding frenzy that is not tempered or slowed by a voice of reason. It’s painful to watch and the impact it has on the losing team is more hurtful than you can imagine unless you’ve experienced it.
This score could very possibly go down in the record books as one of the worst defeats in basketball history. I’m not sure that is something to be proud of...these are just kids after all.