AHSAA adopts 35-second shot clock for all basketball games beginning in 2026-27

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Alabama high school basketball will officially enter the shot clock era beginning with the 2026-2027 season following a vote this week by the Alabama High School Athletic Association Central Board of Control.

The board approved a mandatory 35-second shot clock for all varsity girls' and boys' basketball games across every classification, marking a major shift in how the game will be played statewide.

The decision follows a multi-year discussion by the board, which had considered implementing a shot clock for roughly two years. Rather than move forward immediately, officials chose to align implementation with the upcoming reclassification cycle announced earlier this year.

An early adoption window had already been made available. During the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 seasons, individual areas were permitted to use a 35-second shot clock on a voluntary basis, provided all member schools within an area agreed during preseason meetings.

The shot clock format approved for Alabama aligns with guidelines first authorized by the National Federation of State High School Associations Basketball Rules Committee in 2021, which allowed states to begin adopting the system starting in the 2022-2023 season.

Under the rule set, the clock resets to 35 seconds after a shot hits the rim or when possession changes. On defensive kicks or fisted balls in the frontcourt, the clock will reset to 25 seconds unless more than 25 seconds remain at the time of the violation, in which case it will remain unchanged.

With the move, Alabama joins a growing group of states, now 29 plus Washington, D.C., that have adopted the shot clock for all high school contests.

In addition to the shot clock approval, the Central Board also voted to expand postseason game management procedures by extending the "Mercy" rule into the state finals. The rule establishes a running clock when one team builds a 30-point advantage in the fourth quarter. During those situations, the clock will continue running except during timeouts, injuries, or at the discretion of game officials.