New rule will take effect next season for both boy and girls varsity basketball
The five members schools of the Western Athletic Conference have voted to implement a 35-second shot clock for the 2024-25 basketball season. The KSHSAA recently announced that schools would be given the option to adopt this new rule for a trial basis for next season. Leagues from all over Kansas have been discussing this rule change for several years and have until the fall to make a final decision.
However, the WAC administrators moved quickly for approval to allow for purchase of new equipment, acclimation during the summer months for their programs, and the need to communicate the rule
change with other schools that will be competing against WAC schools – including tournaments.
According to the KSHSAA website, “member high schools in all classifications have the option to utilize the shot clock for all home boys’ and girls’ basketball games at the varsity level. If a school chooses to use the shot clock, they will do so for all regular season varsity games. This includes any regular season varsity tournament games hosted by the school. If schools opt into the trial, the shot clock must be used by both girls’ and boys’ varsity teams. The shot clock will not be utilized in any classification for any round of the 2024-2025 post-season.”
The newest facilities in the WAC (Garden City & Hays) are already, or will be, equipped with shot-clocks and LED-lit score boards. The remaining schools will have to purchase shot-clocks for at least their main gyms. For schools hosting varsity tournaments, all facilities must have shot clocks installed. According to the current WAC President, Jay Gifford of Dodge City, the decision was not too difficult for the schools as there seemed to be no hesitation from any of the head coaches in the conference. Gifford also cited the amount of research and observation that has occurred to give the schools confidence in the fact that this rule change has the ability to improve the quality of games and align Kansas with several states that have already made the change.
Following the 2024-25 season, the KSHSAA Executive Board will consider future adoption of the shot clock for regular and postseason basketball games.
