By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

The 2023-24 high school girls basketball season officially tips off on Wednesday night.

Five different games are featured on the opening-night slate that include Portage County teams. All with a 7 p.m. start scheduled.

   • Crestwood at Garfield

   • Field at Rootstown

   • Springfield at Mogadore

   • Kent Roosevelt at Kenmore-Garfield

   • Ravenna at Newton Falls

It will the OHSAA’s first night with new rule changes to team fouls and free-throw shooting.

Beginning this season, there are no longer any one-and-one free throws. All bonus free throws attempted by teams will all be two-shot bonuses.

The other rule change impacts how fouls will be administered. Instead of seven fouls per half to push a team into the bonus, teams will now reach the bonus if they reach five fouls within a quarter. And fouls reset at the start of each quarter.

The high school boys basketball season is scheduled to begin on Dec. 1.