The Ohio High School Athletic Association isn’t ready to add a shot clock to high school basketball in the near future.
OHSAA executive director Doug Ute relayed this message to the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association members at their annual meeting May 5.
“I will be honest, I don’t think our board is ready for this, right now, in Ohio,” Ute said, according to the Mansfield News Journal. “We are watching some other states and the coaches association is talking with people around the country, and we aren’t finding it to be a major issue. If it were up for a vote today, you would see an article about Ohio voting it down. Our board is not ready to pass that.”
In March, the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association met with members of the OHSAA and submitted a proposal that recommends a 35-second shot clock for varsity boys and girls basketball with full implementation beginning with the 2028-29 season.
Currently, 31 states and the District of Columbia use a shot clock at the high school level, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. New Jersey approved a shot clock this week.
The OHSAA does not have a board vote scheduled for the issue but may in the future. The shot clock has been addressed in nearby states in recent months.
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association Board of Control voted in September 2025 to adopt a 35-second shot clock for varsity boys and girls basketball teams starting in the 2027-28 season. The Indiana High School Athletic Association voted down a shot clock proposal earlier this week.
In 2025, the Ohio state coaches association conducted a survey to gather information. In all, 1,120 high school coaches responded, with 781 (69.7%) voting in favor of a shot clock and 339 (30.3%) opposing; 324 voted for varsity only, while 230 wanted varsity and junior varsity and 249 wanted varsity, JV and freshman.
According to IndyStar, the Indiana state coaches association conducted a similar survey, showing 68% of coaches in favor of a shot clock but only 24% of administrators.
The Louisville Courier-Journal reported that 40% of Kentucky schools were in favor of adding a shot clock before the KHSAA Board of Control voted 13-5 to adopt it last fall.
Why would Ohio high school basketball games need a shot clock?
The OHSAA and OHSBCA currently allow a shot clock in special multi-team events, but both organizations must first approve the events. It was also used in the Louisville Invitational tournament in Kentucky, which hosted several of Kentucky’s best teams.
A shot clock is used at higher levels, 30 seconds for NCAA basketball and 24 in the National Basketball Association.
Part of the reasoning behind a shot clock in high school is the perception that teams hold the ball too long on offense. Occasionally, videos of players just holding onto the ball at midcourt for several minutes go viral.
But more often than that, some feel coaches use offensive sets that are overly patient and time-consuming. Many Cincinnati schools, especially Division I, play low-scoring games. That strategy can be a product of not only high-quality defense, but passing a lot on offense and working for the best possible shot.
“I do believe a shot clock would elevate our game and create a more enjoyable experience for our fans,” said Indian Hill head boys basketball coach Ricardo Hill, the District 16 director in the state coaches association. “The overall flow would improve, and it would push our players to make quicker decisions, ultimately helping develop a higher basketball IQ. I think it would better prepare our student-athletes for the next level as well.”
Hill said the shot clock helps him be a better coach as well.
This past season, Lakota West boys basketball played in several showcase games that used shot clocks. Head coach Kelven Moss said he loved being a part of those games because the shot clock improved the game’s flow, enough so that the school installed a shot clock in its gym to help develop its players. Lakota West expects to make another run at a state championship after reaching the regional finals this past season.
“I believe the shot clock will improve the development of high school players and the game itself,” said Summit Country Day head coach Kevin Johnson, who led his team to the Division V state semifinals. “A lot of players are not prepared to play at the next level due to pace and structure. This will force coaches to improve overall strategy for offense and defense.”
Johnson, who played for the University of Cincinnati, said the pace of games in some parts of Cincinnati can hurt player development.
“I have spoken with college coaches and it is hard for them to watch high school games because of the pace,” he said. “Without a shot clock, some teams, typically good teams, are playing defense for a minute, a minute and half every possession.”
The OHSAA said the cost of a shot clock is a key obstacle
Shot clock systems typically range from $2,800 to $5,800, with installation fees between $1,500 and $3,000. IHSAA commissioner Paul Neidig told IndyStar the overall cost would be around $10,000 per school.
Southwest Ohio has plenty of private schools and affluent public school districts with large budgets, but there are also numerous small schools in rural areas. Smaller school districts, or districts such as Cincinnati Public Schools with several gymnasiums, may find it harder to purchase the new equipment.
“That is a major issue,” Ute told the Mansfield paper. “We have schools laying off staff and cutting funding all over the school. The last thing I would want as a superintendent is to have someone come in my office and tell me I need to spend $7,000 for a shot clock when I am reducing my staff.
Shot clocks require more officials
Schools with football programs are used to doing this with play clocks on the field, but not every school has a shot clock apparatus, relying on the officials to keep the players informed.
Several states hire a junior varsity official to stick around and run the shot clock during the varsity basketball game, which eliminates trying to find someone on a game-by-game basis. Some local coaches noted that retired officials who no longer want to run the floor could come back to the game and run the shot clock.
Oak Hills head coach Mike Price, who has coached a lot of AAU teams, said the shot clock is used in AAU games but it’s handled inconsistently. He said it would take high school teams a lot of practice to adjust to a shot clock; scoring wouldn’t necessarily increase right away, he said.
He said there will be a lot of bad shots as players make rushed decisions and struggle to get the ball in the right player’s hands. Defenses will make adjustments, too, as the clock winds down.
At this point, however, the cost seems to be the biggest obstacle to the OHSAA moving forward with it.
Said Ute, “Does the reason for doing this outweigh the other piece? Right now, I don’t think our board has been provided with that information enough to say yes.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Shot clock or not? Bringing it to OHSAA basketball isn’t likely soon
Reporting by James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
