MOUNT JULIET, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The TSSAA Board of Control this week approved two major changes to high school basketball in Tennessee: a four-year plan for shot-clock implementation and seeding the state tournament by the RPI system.
The lack of a shot clock has been a major point of contention in Tennessee and other states for what feels like about two decades. Currently, teams are able to hold the ball for long periods of time without a shot clock violation.
On Tuesday, the board voted 8-4 for shot clocks, with full implementation by the 2029-30 school year. This will also abolish the five-second closely guarded rule.
Changes to state basketball tournaments
The second proposal, approved and starting sooner in 2027-28, will seed the Division-I basketball state tournament by RPI, or rating percentage index, which is currently used in soccer.
In past years, the eight teams that made it to Murfreesboro were randomly placed in the bracket, with the caveat that teams from the same region cannot meet until the state championship. That will now change, as your wins and losses against certain opponents will now determine your seeding 1-8. The same-region rule will no longer be in effect.
Lastly, there was a long discussion over eliminating the fourth-place finisher in the district tournament; therefore giving the district champ a bye into the region semifinals and having the second and third-place finishers play in the quarterfinals.
This would put more emphasis on not only winning a district title, but also on not losing in the third-place game. This discussion was tabled until August.
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