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Originally Posted by eg-italy
is Nevada high school basketball so different from Iowa's to justify different rule sets?
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This is where it comes down to authority.
High schools in the US are controlled by the individual states, not the federal government. All of their sports are also controlled at the state level. In order to completely mesh, the two states would have to get together and decide which rules to change so they both match perfectly. The problem is, those in each state have set their rules according to their own personal philosophies, institutional goals, and desires of the coaches, athletic directors, administrators, politicians (to a certain extent), etc.
Then, multiply this difficulty by 50 to cover all the states.
I don’t think it's really a problem, though, as the rule variations are subtle and minor. The average fan wouldn't notice them. Things like leaving the bottom space open on free throws verses leaving the top space open. Also, they allow one state to "experiment" with a change. If it's successful, then other states can copy it.