News

IHSAA approves mercy rule

Written by Trevor Andershock

(Carmel against New Albany in December 2019)

During last Thursday's IHSAA Executive Committee meeting, a new mercy rule for boys and girls basketball passed. As a result, the running clock will begin in the second half when the game reaches a 35-point margin. Additionally, sectional, regional, and semi-state sites for the 2021-2022 basketball season were announced in the same meeting. Mercy rule

Indiana high school football introduced a mercy rule during the 2019 season. That helped the IHSAA implement a mercy rule for basketball. For basketball, it does not look like the running clock will be initiated often. It takes a 35-point game in the second half for it to start. For a mercy rule, the effects will be relatively minor as the clock stops on shooting fouls. In a running clock situation, that is when the most time elapses. With the game clock stopping in those situations, the mercy rule will not be a massive change to the game. Here are the stipulations to the mercy rule:

At all levels of play and in the IHSAA state tournament (except for the state finals), a running clock will be initiated after the first half when one team has a lead of thirty-five (35) points or more. Once the running clock begins, regular timing procedures will not be used for the remainder of the game.

The game clock will run continuously except for the following situations when it will be stopped: a. An official’s timeout for an injured participant. b. A charged (team) timeout occurs. c. Intermission between third and fourth quarter. d. Anytime a foul is called that will result in free throws. e. Anytime officials determine it is necessary for safety reasons.

This rule will take effect with the upcoming 2021-22 boys and girls basketball seasons.

Nathan Dean made a motion for approval; seconded by Tim Grove; motion approved 18-0.

Sectional sites for the 2021-2022 basketball season

4A

1. Lake Central

2. Portage

3. Plymouth

4. Elkhart

5. DeKalb

6. Huntington North

7. Logansport

8. Noblesville

9. Greenfield-Central

10. North Central

11. Ben Davis

12. Terre Haute North

13. Greenwood Community

14. Martinsville

15. Seymour

16. Evansville North

3A

17. Hanover Central

18. Kankakee Valley

19. Mishawaka Marian

20. Maconaquah

21. Wawasee

22. Garrett

23. Norwell

24. New Castle

25. Frankfort

26. Edgewood

27. Lebanon

28. Speedway

29. Connersville

30. Salem

31. Princeton

32. Boonville

2A

33. Whiting

34. North Judson

35. Westview

36. Bluffton

37. Winamac

38. Western Boone

39. Tipton

40. Alexandria

41. Hagerstown

42. Park Tudor

43. South Putnam

44. South RIpley

45. Southwestern (Hanover)

46. Tell City

47. North Knox

48. Southridge

1A

49. Kouts

50. Triton

51. Fremont

52. Tri-County

53. Southern Wells

54. Attica

55. Wes-Del

56. Blue River Valley

57. White River Valley

58. Bethesda Christian

59. Indianapolis Lutheran

60. Southwestern (Shelby)

61. Borden

62. Edinburgh

63. Loogootee

64. Springs Valley

Regional sites

4A

Michigan City

Logansport

Southport

Seymour

3A

South Bend Washington

New Castle

Greencastle

Washington

2A

North Judson

Lapel

Greenfield-Central

Southridge

1A

Triton

Frankfort

Martinsville

Loogootee

Semi-state locations

1 - North: Lafayette Jefferson; 2 - North: Elkhart; 3 - South: Washington; 4 - South: Seymour

2021-2022 IHSAA boys basketball state finals will be on March 26, 2022 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

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IHSAA approves mercy rule