How Long Is a Regulation High School Basketball Game?
A regulation high school basketball game consists of four 8-minute periods, with a 10- to 15-minute break at halftime and a 1-minute break between the first and second periods and third and fourth periods. However, the total length of a basketball game varies, depending on the number of foul calls, timeouts and overtime periods.
If the game is tied at the end of regulation time, overtime begins with 4-minute periods and continues until the score is no longer tied at the end of a period. The longest boys basketball game was held on February 29, 1964, when Angier and Boone High Schools in North Carolina played 13 overtime periods. The longest girls basketball game was held in 1969 when East Ridge and Ooltewah High Schools in Tennessee faced off for 16 overtime periods. The National Federation of State High School Associations sets the rules for regulation high school basketball.
