TSSAA Board Plans Adoption of Basketball Shot Clock

(June 10) — The TSSAA Board of Control on Tuesday signaled a new era for high school hoops, approving a phased implementation of a basketball shot clock and a move toward RPI-based seeding for the Division I state tournament. The decisions highlight a busy summer session that also saw the board finalize classification procedures and mandate new training requirements for coaches across the state.

The most anticipated move involves a multi-year rollout of the basketball shot clock, which will first be permitted for use in Hall of Champions games, holiday tournaments, and summer competitions. Full implementation for the regular season and postseason is slated for the 2029-30 school year. Additionally, beginning with the 2027-28 season, the Division I state tournament will move away from random draws for bracket placement in favor of an RPI seeding model currently used in soccer. While those major changes were greenlit, the board opted to table discussion on making the district tournament third-and-fourth-place game an elimination contest until August.

On the administrative front, the board elected to use the yearly ADM figures from the TISA funding formula from the 2025-26 school year to classify Division I schools for the 2027-2029 cycle.

In a move to bolster compliance, the board now requires every coach in Tennessee to complete a new TSSAA Recruiting Rule course through the NFHS Learn platform upon their appointment. The board also expanded the definition of "non-traditional students" to align with recent state legislation and earmarked $40,500 in grants for 27 schools recognized through the A.F. Bridges Sportsmanship Program.

The session concluded with several appeals and membership applications.

The full summary of the meeting can be found below.

1. Approved the Minutes of the March 4, 2026 meeting as presented.

2. Approved utilizing the ADM for the 2025-2026 school year to determine enrollments for DI and to use the first 20 day enrollments submitted by August 31 by member schools for DII, following preliminary approval in March.

3. Approved a phased implementation of the basketball shot clock, allowing use during Hall of Champions games, holiday classics, tournaments, and summer competitions for the first three years, with full implementation including regular season and postseason beginning in the 2029-30 school year.

4. Tabled discussion of the Division I Basketball District Tournament 3rd and 4th place game until the August meeting.

5. Approved using the soccer RPI model for seeding the DI Basketball Tournament beginning with the 2027-28 school year.

6. Approved changing the 2027 Bowling State Tournament dates from January 20-22 to January 19-21 due to facility availability.

7. Approved earmarking $40,500 ($1,500 per school) for the athletic programs of the 27 A.F. Bridges school winners.

8. Approved requiring all coaches to take the TSSAA Recruiting Rule course through the NFHSLearn platform upon being named as a coach at a school.

9. Approved expanding the definition of a non-traditional student following recent legislation.

10. Granted the Wooddale High School appeal by removing the financial penalties imposed due to an ineligible player in volleyball and girls' basketball.

11. Denied the Maplewood High School appeal regarding sanctions placed on the football program due to a Recruiting Rule violation.

12. Denied Nashville Collegiate Prep's request to host a cooperative program in football for Knowledge Academies and Valor College Prep.

13. Denied Chattanooga Central High School's request to participate in the 2026 football playoffs.

14. Denied William Blount High School's request to move their boys and girls soccer programs from Class AAA, Region 2, District 4 to Class AAA, Region 1, District 2.

15. Approved Chesterton Academy of St. Margaret Clitherow's request to join TSSAA for the 2026-27 school year.

16. Approved Macon Christian Academy's request to join TSSAA to co-op with Red Boiling Springs High School.

17. Approved Fairview Christian Academy's request to join TSSAA to co-op with Meigs County High School.