WIAA approves conditional use of shot clock in basketball for 2026-27 season

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WMDX) – The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Board of Control voted to approve the conditional use of a shot clock in basketball by a 10-1 vote at a meeting Tuesday.

The measure allows for the use of a 35-second shot clock in varsity non-conference games for the 2026-27 season.

Full implementation won’t be voted on until the WIAA’s Annual Meeting in April, which would mandate shot clock usage in all varsity games for both boys and girls basketball beginning with the 2028-29 season.

A similar proposal was voted down 6-4 two years ago.

APPROVED – BASKETBALL:
Starting in the 2026-2027 season, a 35 second shot clock may be used with mutual agreement for boys and girls varsity level non-conference games. (Vote 10-1) 🏀 #wiaagb #wiaabb

— WIAA (@wiaawi) June 23, 2026

The WIAA previously attempted to implement the shot clock in 2017, but it was quickly rescinded after schools, particularly smaller and rural schools, argued against the move due to costs and staffing.

APPROVED – BASKETBALL:
The Board of Control approved the implementation of a 35-second shot clock for boys and girls varsity basketball, beginning with the 2028-29 season. (Vote 10-1)

This will now go to a full membership vote at the 2027 Annual Meeting for final approval prior…

— WIAA (@wiaawi) June 23, 2026

The NFHS, which governs the rules for high school sports, adopted a 35-second shot clock for boys and girls basketball in 2021, which has since been added by Wisconsin border states Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois. In Illinois, the full shot clock implementation will begin this season.

States were given the option to fully adopt a 35-second shot clock starting with the 2022-23 season.

As of October 2025, the NFHS said that 32 states use the shot clock in some capacity, with some states only using it optionally or not using it in postseason games. Of Wisconsin’s border states, Michigan is the only state not currently using a shot clock, although the state has previously experimented using it in holiday tournaments and events.

For more information, you can visit the WIAA website.