Indiana is one of just 18 states that did not use a shot clock during the 2025-26 high school basketball season. The High School Athletic Association board of directors voted not to add one moving foward.
Their decision is rooted in tradition.
There are plenty of valid arguments against a shot clock for high school basketball. This is not one.
Indiana will not use a shot clock for high school basketball.
A shot clock requires teams to shoot at the basket within a set period of time — 35 seconds. To play without a show clock allows the offense to hold possession for as long as it wants. The offensive player must pass the ball to his teammate if the defense applies pressure within six feet for five seconds but the offense is still not required to shoot. It can play keep away from its opponent by passing around the arc.
That can lead to a terrible on-court product.
The team that is in the lead can prevent a comeback by stalling. It can possess the ball for an extended period of time to stop the losing team from putting the ball in the hoop on the other end.
Nobody wants that. However, there are a few reasonable explanations for the lack of shot clock:
- Bad teams are forced to take even more bad shots with a shot clock.
- Scores will get even more out of hand.
- Some coaches don’t believe a shot clock would increase the level of play.
- The cost of installing and operating shot clocks can be prohibitive for smaller schools.
- Installing adequate shot clock systems can cost thousands of dollars.
- An extra official would need to be hired for every game to watch the clock.
To implement a statewide shot clock is not as easy as it sounds, especially in terms of cost. Some people like how it helps to close the talent gap between certain programs. Fair enough. Their concerns are valid.
Needless to say, the shot clock is a decisive topic. It comes up for vote almost every year.
Indiana voted against implementing a 35-second shot clock in high school basketball on Monday. There was only one vote in favor of the proposal, which would’ve applied only to varsity games beginning in 2028. There were 17 votes against. The proposal failed 17-1.
Why did the IHSAA shoot it down?
The Indiana High School Athletic Association did not list any of the aforementioned reasons for its decision not to add a universal shot clock beginning in 2028. The financial burden of a shot clock on smaller programs absolutely played a role in the vote but the IHSAA only cited “tradition” and data.
BREAKING: The proposal for a 35-second shot clock in Indiana high school basketball failed to pass.
— WISH-TV News (@WISHNews8) May 4, 2026
IHSAA commissioner Paul Neidig shares with WISH-TV his thoughts on the decision:
"Tradition certainly carries a lot here in Indiana. Maybe more than other states." pic.twitter.com/L82EahUKAs
According to the numbers, only two possessions per game extend beyond 35 seconds. That’s fine.
It is a bigger issue during the playoffs. Teams are able to exploit the (lack of) shot clock to pull an upset or to avoid getting upset. We saw those exact situations play out in multiple states earlier this year.
A boys high school basketball team in Wisconsin won the state championship by standing completely still on offense. A girls team in Michigan won its semifinal playoff game by refusing to shoot the ball. There was even a boys team in Kentucky that managed to avoid serious foul trouble by not shooting.
That does not even include what happened in Indiana.
Hanover Central and Lowell both refused to shoot the ball on offense during the playoffs and played to a final score of 18-13. It was the second-lowest combined score of any sectional game in the class era.
Crown Point was mercilessly booed by a sold-out crowd for holding the ball at the top of the key for more than a minute during the state championship game. And the strategy ended up backfiring!
For the IHSAA to cite “tradition” and “data” while actively choosing to neglect the on-court product is a poor reflection on the “Basketball State.” Those are not the reasons to shoot down this proposal.