BASKETBALL
EDITOR: SCOTT TITTRINGTON
stittrington@referee.com
RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY
Officials working high school games in California, such as Jeff Myles, Los Angeles, are used to doing so with a shot clock, as shown in the background. Starting with the 2022-23 season, a 35-second shot clock is allowed in all NFHS competition by state association adoption.
YOUR TIME STARTS … NOW By Scott Tittrington
O
ne of the most hotly debated topics in high school basketball will now shift from a national debate to one being discussed at the state level. During its annual April meeting, held virtually for the second consecutive year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the NFHS Basketball Rules Committee voted to allow the use of a 35-second shot clock by state association adoption beginning with the 2022-23 season.
That significant rule change, one additional rule change and a modification of one of the official signals used by game officials were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors in May. Referee thanks Theresia Wynns, NFHS director of sports and officials education and staff liaison to the rules committee, for reviewing this information, which appears in rulebook order. Shot Clock (2-14 NEW) Rather than mandate high schools
use a shot clock for basketball games, the rules committee opted for a bit of middle ground by choosing the state adoption route. “We provided the committee with a lot of information regarding the shot clock, including responses to a 46-question survey sent to states currently using a shot clock,” Wynns said. The new rule states each state association may adopt the use of a shot clock beginning with the 202223 season according to guidelines outlined in the NFHS rulebook. The
HESTON QUAN
NFHS Approves Shot Clock By State Adoption
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