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Shot clock coming to Ohio high school basketball events during MLK weekend
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- Shot clock coming to Ohio high school basketball events during MLK weekend
This story was updated to add new information.
Three Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend basketball events will be played with a shot clock, the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association announced Sept. 29.
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Locally, the Battle in the 614 at Ohio Dominican, along with two other events statewide – the Classic in the Country at Berlin Hiland and the Fort Loramie MLK Classic – will implement a 35-second shot clock in accordance with National Federation of State High School Associations guidelines .
Related shot clock article: Is it time for Ohio high school basketball to add a shot clock? Coaches, players weigh in
"The OHSBCA is proud to partner with the OHSAA (Ohio High School Athletic Association) in bringing the shot clock to three of Ohio's premier showcase events," said Adam Hall, the OHSBCA's public relations director. "These events provide the perfect stage to introduce a faster pace of play that mirrors the collegiate game, while allowing us to gather valuable feedback from players, coaches and fans.
"This is an exciting step forward for high school basketball in Ohio, and we look forward to seeing how the shot clock can elevate the game for schools of all sizes."
Defending Division II state champion Westerville North, including guard Tyson Perkins, will play with the shot clock in Battle of the 614 in January at Ohio Dominican.
Fifteen states, but not Ohio, use a 35-second shot clock , according to the NFHS.
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In its fifth season, Battle of the 614 will feature 23 area boys teams, including defending Division I state champion Olentangy Orange , Division II state champion Westerville North and 2024-25 Division V runner-up Columbus Academy , in 19 games from Jan. 17-19.
These events follow the lead of the OHSCBA-sponsored Shot Clock Shootout, a 15-game, three-day event that took place the weekend after Christmas last year and was the first in state history to use the shot clock.
The boys teams from Lakewood and Worthington Christian and Olentangy's girls played in that event .
Hamilton Township and Olentangy's boys teams and the girls from Olentangy Berlin are scheduled to play in this year's iteration, which again will be at Canton McKinley, on Dec. 27 and 28.
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High school sports reporter Dave Purpura can be reached at dpurpura@dispatch.com and at @dp_dispatch on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: MLK weekend OHSAA basketball events to include shot clock
