Layton Christian Academy’s boys basketball team won both the Region 13 and 3A state basketball championships last season.

It won’t be defending either title.

LCA was approved to move its boys basketball team up from the 3A classification to 4A in a March meeting of the UHSAA board of trustees, according to a meeting summary posted on the UHSAA website.

The UHSAA’s Executive Committee in its meeting two days earlier didn’t recommend approving the request made by LCA; however, the board, which LCA Director Greg Miller serves on, did approve it.

They key distinction is that LCA will be an “unattached” 4A boys basketball team instead of an “independent” team.

An unattached team still retains eligibility for the state tournament, while independent teams (Wasatch Academy boys basketball, for instance) aren’t eligible for the postseason, according to UHSAA Assistant Director Jon Oglesby.

In terms of scheduling, LCA will be like an independent team and won’t be obligated to play its Region 13 schedule next season (with Ben Lomond, Ogden and Morgan), but may still choose to do so.

Layton Christian won the 3A state championship this season in its first season as a member of the classification, following years of being a 2A school.

LCA had tried numerous times to move boys basketball up to 3A from 2A, but the board had denied those requests each time.

Two days after winning the 3A basketball title at Weber State in February, Miller sent a letter to the UHSAA requesting to move LCA boys basketball up to 4A.

SHOT CLOCK MERCY RULE APPROVED

The 35-second shot clock is coming to all levels of Utah high school basketball next season. So is a 35-point basketball mercy rule.

If a team’s lead is 35-plus points in the fourth quarter, the game clock will run continuously for the rest of the game except for an official’s timeout, a charged team timeout and when free throws are taken.

The game clock will still run continuously if the lead falls below 35 points except for the three aforementioned reasons.

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