While the big change on the IHSA basketball horizon will be the implementation of the 35-second shot clock next season, Three Rivers Conference teams and fans will be treated to another new twist.

Three Rivers teams will be adding a crossover “shootout” type event matching the teams from the East and West Divisions at separate sites. In this format,the No. 1 teams in each side will meet as well as 2 vs 2, 3 vs. 3, 4 vs. 4, 5 vs 5 and 6 vs. 6.

The winner of the division leaders would be recognized as the overall Three Rivers Conference champion.

“It’ll be fun. Coaches want a TRAC champion,” Princeton athletic director Jeff Ohlson said.

While there will be some wiggle room to allow teams from playing an opponent they have already played, Ohlson said, the No. 1s in both divisions would play no matter what to determine the overall conference champion.

The six East Division schools will host the girls crossover games, and the West Division will play host for the boys the first year. The divisions will flip sites for the second year. The schools may schedule games at more than one level if they choose, Ohlson said.

Princeton girls coach Tiffany Gonigam said it’s a nice addition for Three Rivers basketball.

“I am excited to have an event that brings the two sides of the conference together,” she said. “I really commend Mr. Ohlson for his work and efforts getting this proposed to the teams in the conference. There is a lot of logistics involved. I think it is something that has been lacking for some time and will really be appreciated by both sides.”

Hall boys coach Mike Filippini likes the idea of having the crossover event, but moving forward he’d like to hold it at one location.

“It would build more attention and excitement for our conference,” he said.

The crossover event will be held on Saturdays for travel purposes, Ohlson said, with the girls on Feb. 6 and the boys Feb. 13. Every effort must be made to have the all division games played by the Monday (girls) and Tuesday (boys) of the week of the shootout so travel can be determined.

Had the crossover event been played in 2025-26, some tiebreakers would have needed to be implemented for the boys. The matchups would have been 1s Newman or Mendota in the East vs. Sherrard (West), 2s Newman or Mendota vs. Orion or Riverdale, 3s Erie-Prophetstown vs. Orion or Riverdale, 4s Kewanee vs. Mercer County or Monmouth-Roseville, 5s Princeton vs. Mercer County or Monmouth-Roseville and 6s Hall vs. Rockridge.

For the girls, the 2025-26 matchups would have been clear cut with 1s Newman vs. Riverdale, 2s Kewanee vs. Sherrard, 3s Princeton vs. Mercer County, 4s Erie-Prophetstown vs. Monmouth-Roseville, 5s Hall vs. Rockridge and 6s Mendota vs. Orion.