Tennessee High School Basketball Will Not Be Using a Shot Clock

By: Paul Garwood

Following the vote of the state athletics board on Monday, it has been decided that Tennessee high school basketball will not be incorporating the use of a shot clock. The board has also agreed to postpone any discussions on this matter for the next three years.

Despite having surveyed coaches prior to the decision-making process, the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association Board of Control ultimately dismissed the idea, as stated in the board minutes. The executive director of TSSAA informed the Tennessean that basketball coaches in the state had expressed support for the implementation of a shot clock.

According to the report released by the newspaper, the main concern raised by the board revolved around the challenge of training officials to effectively handle shot clocks, particularly considering the current shortage of referees.

The implementation of a 35-second shot clock, which began in 2021 with the National Federation of State High School Associations, continues to gain traction. Oregon recently joined a growing list of states, including California, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, and Washington, in adopting this measure for the 2022-23 season.