IHSAA board of directors votes against shot clock for high school basketball

TL;DR

The IHSAA board voted 17-1 against implementing a 35-second shot clock for high school basketball. Despite 68% of coaches supporting the proposal, principals and athletic directors opposed it.

Key points

IHSAA board voted 17-1 against shot clock proposal
68% of coaches support the shot clock
Proposal aimed for implementation in 2028-29 season

The shot clock ran out on this possession.

The Indiana High School Athletic Association board of directors on Monday voted against the 35-second shot clock proposal submitted on behalf of the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. The IHSAA board of directors meets annually to vote on various proposals submitted by coaches associations, principals and the IHSAA.

The proposal had just one vote in favor and 17 against.

There is more momentum for a shot clock in high school basketball than at any previous time, with 68% of the coaches – boys and girls combined – in favor, according to a survey conducted by the IBCA. However, the feedback from the principals and athletic directors on the shot clock was about the opposite, IHSAA commissioner Paul Neidig said.

The proposal would have put the shot clock into practice for the 2028-29 season.

There is not a mandate from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) to add a shot clock, though Indiana is now in the minority as one of the states not to utilize one. For the 2025-26 season, there are 32 states that use a shot clock in some form. Prior to approval from the NFHS in 2021 to allow states to use a shot clock, there were only 10 states that used a shot clock. New Jersey approved a shot clock on Monday in a close vote, starting in the 2027-28 school year.

The proposal would have called for a shot clock for varsity games only. Neidig said there are currently 66 high schools that are already set up with a shot clock. The biggest concerns include the additional bench personnel to run the clock, the cost (roughly $10,000 per school according to Neidig) and officials’ concerns over resetting the clock and coordinating with the scorer’s table.

The shot clock debate is not likely to go away anytime soon. The IBCA could bring back a proposal to the IHSAA again as soon as 2028. A member of the IHSAA board could submit a proposal next year.

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649. Get IndyStar's high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter. And be sure to subscribe to our new IndyStarTV: Preps YouTube channel.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA basketball: Board of directors votes against shot clock

Q&A

What was the outcome of the IHSAA vote on the shot clock proposal?

The IHSAA board voted 17 against and 1 in favor of the 35-second shot clock proposal.

Why do coaches support a shot clock in high school basketball?

68% of coaches, both boys and girls, support the shot clock to enhance the pace of the game.

When was the shot clock proposal intended to be implemented?

The shot clock was proposed to be implemented for the 2028-29 season.