What are the start dates for high school basketball in all 50 states?

Every high school governing body in America has had to make tough decisions regarding the safest times to play basketball in their state. Some have elected to start in the late fall as if it were a normal year, and some have had to push back the season substantially.

Below is a specific list detailing every state’s decision on when to play high school basketball. We have specified start dates for boys basketball and girls basketball only in states where the two are different. We will continue to update this list as states adjust to the ongoing pandemic.

(The list is in alphabetical order.)

BASKETBALL START DATES IN ALL 50 STATES:

ALABAMA: Season underway (began Nov. 5).

ALASKA: Practices begin Jan. 11, games begin Jan. 22.

ARIZONA: Practices are underway in regions under pertinent infectivity thresholds; games begin Jan. 5.

ARKANSAS: Season underway (games began Oct. 19 for schools without football, the rest began games Nov. 9).

CALIFORNIA: The CIF recently announced that all practice and competition start dates are on hold, but the start dates by section are currently scheduled between late February and mid-March.

COLORADO: Practices begin Jan. 4, games begin Jan. 7.

CONNECTICUT: Boys: practices began Dec. 3, games begin Dec. 17. Girls: practices began Nov. 30, games begin Dec. 14.

DELAWARE: Practices are underway, games begin Dec. 21.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Practices begin Dec. 14, games begin Jan. 4.

FLORIDA: Boys: season underway (began Nov. 23). Girls: season underway (began Nov. 16).

GEORGIA: Season underway (began Nov. 20).

HAWAII: Start date is yet to be determined.

IDAHO: Boys: season underway (began Nov. 28). Girls: season underway (began Nov. 13).

ILLINOIS: Basketball was set to start on Nov. 30, but was indefinitely postponed two weeks prior. An official decision could be announced following an IHSA board meeting on Dec. 14.

INDIANA: Boys: season underway (began Nov. 23). Girls: season underway (began Nov. 2).

IOWA: Boys: season underway (began Nov. 30). Girls: season underway (began Nov. 20).

KANSAS: Season underway (began Dec. 3).

KENTUCKY: Practices are underway, games begin Jan. 4.

LOUISIANA: Season underway (began Oct. 26 for Classes B and C and Division V, began Nov. 9 for Classes 5A-1A and Divisions I-IV).

MAINE: Practices are scheduled to begin on Dec. 7 and games are scheduled to begin on Jan. 11, but the dates are considered tentative.

MARYLAND: Practices began Dec. 7, games start Jan. 4.

MASSACHUSETTS: Practices begin Dec. 14, game start date is yet to be determined.

MICHIGAN: Boys: practices began Nov. 16, games began Dec. 7. Girls: season underway (began Nov. 30).

MINNESOTA: Boys: season underway (began Dec. 3). Girls: practices began Dec. 7, games begin Dec. 17.

MISSISSIPPI: Season underway (began Nov. 5).

MISSOURI: Season underway (began Nov. 13).

MONTANA: Practices began Dec. 7, games begin Jan. 2.

NEBRASKA: Season underway (began Dec. 3).

NEVADA: Practices begin Jan. 2, games begin Jan. 15.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Practices begin Dec. 14, games begin Jan. 11.

NEW JERSEY: Practices begin Jan. 11, games begin Jan. 26.

NEW MEXICO: Practices are scheduled to begin March 22.

NEW YORK: Practices begin Jan. 4, game start date not yet determined.

NORTH CAROLINA: Practices began Dec. 7, games begin Jan. 4.

NORTH DAKOTA: Boys: season underway (began Dec. 4). Girls: season underway (began Nov. 27).

OHIO: Boys: season underway (began Nov. 25). Girls: season underway (began Nov. 20).

OKLAHOMA: Season underway (began Nov. 1 for non-football schools, began Nov. 19 for football schools).

OREGON: Practices begin May 10, games begin May 17. (MORE ON OREGON)

PENNSYLVANIA: Practices began Dec. 4, games begin Dec. 11.

RHODE ISLAND: Start dates are yet to be determined.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Season underway (began Nov. 30).

SOUTH DAKOTA: Boys: practices began Nov. 30, games begin Dec. 10. Girls: season underway (began Dec. 3).

TENNESSEE: Season underway (began Nov. 23)

TEXAS: Boys: season underway (began Nov. 13). Girls: season underway (began Nov. 6).

UTAH: Season underway (began Dec. 3).

VERMONT: Practices were scheduled to start on Nov. 30, but the season is indefinitely paused, and will be reviewed on a weekly basis.

VIRGINIA: Practices began Dec. 7, games begin Dec. 21.

WASHINGTON: Practice is scheduled to begin Feb. 1, followed by a seven-week season that will end with a Regional culminating event on March 20. (MORE ON WASHINGTON)

WEST VIRGINIA: Boys: practices began Nov. 16, games began Dec. 8. Girls: season underway (began Dec. 1).

WISCONSIN: Boys: season underway (began Dec. 1). Girls: season underway (began Nov. 24).

WYOMING: Practice began Nov. 23, games begin Dec. 10.