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Pennsylvania high school basketball: PIAA votes no to shot clock

IMG_8358by:Andy Villamarzo•06/17/25•

Andy_Villamarzo

Syndication: The Topeka Capital-Journal
A new shot clock and scoreboard is installed inside the Highland Park gym and used during practice Monday, Dec. 9, 2024.

If you’re a Pennsylvania high school basketball coach, player or fan and were yearning for a shot clock next season, you’ll have to wait. The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) doesn’t see the need for it just yet.

According to a LancasterOnline.com report, the PIAA’s Basketball Steering Committee convened and decided against recommending a shot clock for high school basketball. As of writing, 31 other states around the nation by the 2026-2027 high school basketball season will be utilizing a 35-second shot clock.

Earlier this month, the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Board of Directors voted to implement the shot clock in both boys and girls basketball. Florida became the 31st state to approve use of a 35-second shot clock.

Florida high school basketball governing body approves universal shot clock usage

North Carolina was a state recently that was taking a closer look at implementing a shot clock, but proposal didn’t clear North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s (NCHSAA) committee stage.

Also according to the LancasterOnline report, despite the PIAA deciding against usage of a shot clock for now, talks are expected to continue around future use.

NEPA Hoops also stated in its X post Tuesday afternoon that most schools and officials supported implementing a shot clock.

SportsRadio 96.7’s Bob Greenburg posted on X that 55 percent of schools responded to a survery in favor along with 59 percent of officials. Around 30 percent of schools didn’t respond to the PIAA survey asking if they were for or against.

One reason why Pennsylvania may be holding off on implementation is because of the cost per school to install a clock. PIAA associate executive director Pat Gebhart said in a report that depending on the make/model of the mounted clock, costs could vary anywhere from $5,000-$20,000.

For coaches in Pennsylvania, there’s pros and cons when it comes to bringing a shot-clock to the game of basketball.

“If you went through and you dissected every possession of our games over the last couple of years, I like to think that we do a nice job of running our offense,” Manheim Central boys coach Charlie Fisher said to LancasterOnline.com. “We’re not going to that 35-second mark very often. I think that would be consistent amongst everybody. So I don’t think it would ruin high school basketball at all.”