HELENA — The Montana High School Association will allow some exceptions to its new shot-clock rule during the coming girls and boys basketball seasons, but all gyms must be equipped with the technology by 2023-24.
Based on the results of a shot clock survey sent to member schools recently, the MHSA announced that gyms that do not have shot clocks installed this season must notify both their opponents and the MHSA but will still be able to host games played without the 35-second timer.
However, all postseason games are required to be played in gyms with shot clocks.
For the 2023-24 campaign, all games must be played in facilities with shot clocks. If schools do not have shot clocks installed by next season, they will not be able to host basketball games.
The announcement was made Wednesday in a press release and was the result of a shot clock review taken up during a meeting held on Monday.
The MHSA approved a proposal to add 35-second shot clocks for the 2022-23 season last January, thus modernizing the high school game in Montana. This coming season will mark the first time the clocks will be used.
Among its other announcements, the MHSA said it will relocate the 2023 State AA and B track and field meet from Gallatin High School in Bozeman to Bulldog Memorial Stadium in Butte. The change was made due to MHSA concerns that the Gallatin facility would be able to successfully host a meet of that size.
