The Florida High School Athletic Association board approved several changes to postseason formats during a recent meeting in Gainesville, including a mandate for shot clocks in state basketball tournament competition.
Though the board also tackled post-season formatting for baseball, football and competitive cheer, the most debated item at the June 3 meeting centered on requiring shot clocks for all basketball postseason contests beginning in the 2026-27 school year. As reported by Bob Putnam of Tampa Bay Newspapers, the board approved the measure by a 9-3 vote after extensive discussion about costs and competitive benefits.
Currently, shot clock use in postseason games requires written agreement from both school administrators. This past season, only five of 48 state championship games used the shot clock. All five were boys' games. No girls games implementing the rule.
"Proponents argued the shot clock prevents stalling and aligns Florida with other states and major tournaments," Putnam reported. "Critics cited financial concerns and questioned whether statistical evidence supports dramatic game improvement at the high school level."
According to Putnam, the board gave schools nearly two years to budget for the equipment, with the Athletics Directors Advisory Committee recommending the extended timeline due to capital expenses. The approved motion includes a provision to turn off shot clocks during lopsided games when a running clock is in effect.
