(LEXINGTON, Ky.)-The Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s Board of Control made a decisive move Wednesday, approving the implementation of a 35-second shot clock for the 2027-28 basketball season. The measure succeeded with a 13-5 vote among board members.
This new timing rule will be limited to varsity-level competition, leaving junior varsity and freshman games unchanged.
The decision represents a notable shift from earlier feedback collected by the organization. Survey results from August revealed that among 252 schools that responded, 150 opposed implementing shot clock rules at the state level without a national requirement from the National Federation of State High School Associations.
The NFHS opened the door for individual state adoption of shot clocks in 2021, giving state associations the flexibility to decide independently. As the current academic year began, 31 states plus the District of Columbia had already committed to using the 35-second timing system for their 2025-26 seasons.
Kentucky’s adoption means the Commonwealth will join the growing number of states moving toward faster-paced high school basketball, despite initial resistance from a majority of surveyed schools within the state.
(Photo courtesy of Fox Sports North)