New Jersey high school basketball to have shot clock for 2027-28 season

A major change is coming to high school basketball across New Jersey beginning in two years.

The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association passed a vote to require schools to install and use shot clocks beginning with the 2027-28 season. The vote came with attendance of the full NJSIAA membership during a meeting at the Pines Manor in Edison.

The basketball proposal narrowly passed 170-166.

It will be set at 35 seconds — five seconds longer than the 30-second clock currently used at the collegiate level. The rule will be enforced at the varsity level for both boys’ and girls’ programs, while implementation at the sub-varsity level will remain optional and determined by individual schools. 

One of the biggest reasons for pushback to the ruling has been its cost, not only installing the shot clock at individual gyms but also the cost to run it. Schools will not required to hire an extra official to run the clock, in addition to game officials.

 In Georgia, the state offers a shot clock package that costs $2,900. It remains to be seen what the initial — and extended costs — will be in the Garden State.

“It’s the wrong place, and the wrong time,” said Park Ridge athletic director Chris Brown during the open discussion period before the vote, according to NorthJersey.com.

The two-year gap between vote and enforcement does give schools extra time to pool money together for the cost, though.

New Jersey becomes the 33rd state with a shot clock, joining a host of schools in recent years to adopt similar resolutions. Just in the past 12 months alone, Kentucky, Delaware, and Pennsylvania have moved forward with shot clock rules, while Indiana has the support of the majority of its coaches to do so.

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