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Boys basketball is played in the winter because football and baseball are played outdoors and, in much of the country, cannot be played in the winter. Basketball historically filled the time when boys weren't playing the other two sports. I am not aware of any outdoor fall sport for girls with participation comparable to football. For that reason, I don't know of a good reason why girls basketball cannot be played in the fall.
To me, the main goals of scheduling of girls basketball (or any other high school sport) should be to (1) increase participation (both at the varsity and sub-varsity levels), and (2) to avoid game times or practice times that might interfere with a student's ability to perform well in the classroom (such as late nights or early mornings). The rest is secondary. Making sure that girls and boys have equal access to Friday night falls within the second goal.
In Michigan, girls now play on Tue. and Thurs. nights in the fall. They play on Thursday instead of Friday to avoid conflicts with football. Tradition and $$$ keep football on Fridays.
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