Nine more games.
That’s the most anyone has left in this high school basketball season, boys’ or girls’ as the county tournaments are behind us, as the NJSIAA State Tournament starts Monday, with public schools in Groups 2 and 4 beginning opening round sectional play.
Groups 1 and 3 begin Tuesday, while Non-Public sections begin opening round play on Wednesday.
This will be the final year of the Tournament of Champions, which began in 1989, and were last played in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw the 2020 state tournament cancelled in the middle of the group semifinal stage.
There was no state tournament last season.
Following is the daily schedule of opening round games for all teams from Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Middlesex and Somerset County coverage area. Local teams in bold.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28:
Boys – Central Jersey Group 4:
16-Sayreville at 1-Marlboro
12-Montgomery at 5-Hightstown
13-Middletown South at 4-South Brunswick
11-East Brunswick at 6-Northern Burlington
15-Old Bridge at 2-Monroe
Girls – Central Jersey Group 4:
9-Montgomery at 8-North Brunswick
14-West Windsor-Plainsboro North at 3-Monroe
11-Howell at 6-East Brunswick
10-Old Bridge at 7-South Brunswick
Boys – North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4:
16-Hillsborough at 1-Watchung Hills
9-Elizabeth at 8-JP Stevens
12-Piscataway at 5-Newark East Side
13-Hunterdon Central at 4-Franklin
11-Bridgewater-Raritan at 6-Ridge
10-Edison at 7-Scotch Plains-Fanwood
Girls – North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4:
16-Bridgewater-Raritan at 1-Westfield
9-Watchung Hills at 8-Phillipsburg
12-Elizabeth at 5-Ridge
11-Newark East Side at 6-Hillsborough
10-Hunterdon Central at 7-Woodbridge
15-JP Stevens at 2-Franklin
Boys – Central Jersey Group 2:
16-Metuchen at 1-Rumson-Fair Haven
13-Middlesex at 4-Holmdel
14-Johnson at 3-South River
10-Spotswood at 7-Nottingham
15-Monmouth at 2-Bound Brook
Girls – Central Jersey Group 2:
9-Johnson at 8-South River
12-Metuchen at 5-Middlesex
11-Delawawre Valley at 6-Bound Brook
10-Spotswood at 7-Governor Livingston
Girls – North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2:
10-Bernards at 7-Hanover Park
15-Newark Tech at 2-Madison
TUESDAY, MARCH 1:
Boys – Central Jersey Group 3:
12-Somerville at 5-Ewing
Girls – Central Jersey Group 3:
9-South Plainfield at 8_Robbinsville
13-JFK at 4-Colts Neck
10-Somerville at 7-Neptune
15-Steinert at 2-Colonia
Boys – North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3
16-Nutley at 1-Colonia
15-Snyder at 2-South Plainfield
Boys – Central Jersey Group 1:
9-Highland Park at 8-Pt. Pleasant Beach
13-Academy for Urban Leadership Charter at 4-Perth Amboy Tech
11-South Amboy at 6-Shore
10-Manville at 7-South Hunterdon
15-Somerset Tech at 2-Keyport
Girls – Central Jersey Group 1:
9-Perth Amboy Tech at 8-Pt. Pleasant Beach
12-Highland Park at 5-Shore
13-Keansburg at 4-Somerset Tech
11-Manville at 6-Florence
10-Dunellen at 7-Burlington City
15-Roselle Park at 2-Woodbridge Academy
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2:
Girls – Non-Public North A:
9-Hudson Catholic at 8-Pingry
Boys – Non-Public South A:
13-Pingry at 4-St. Joseph-Metuchen
14-Union Catholic at 3-Rutgers Prep
11-Immaculata at 6-Christion Brothers Academy
Girls – Non-Public South A:
9-Notre Dame at 8-Immaculata
13-Princeton Day at 4-St. Thomas Aquinas
10-Our Lady of Mercy at 7-Mount St. Mary
Boys – Non-Public North B:
9-Timothy Christian at 8-Wardlaw-Hartridge
Boys – Non-Public South B:
10-Calvary Christian (Old Bridge) at 7-Holy Cross
Girls – Non-Public South B:
10-Timothy Christian at 7-Calvary Christian (Old Bridge)
FRIDAY, MARCH 4:
Boys – Non-Public South A:
2-St. Thomas Aquinas vs. 10-Donovan Catholic or 7-St. John Vianney
Boys – Non-Public North B:
3-Gill St. Bernard’s vs. 11-Montclair-Kimberley or 6-Montclair Immaculate
Girls – Non-Public North B:
5-Lodi Immaculate at 4-Gill St. Bernard’s
Girls – Non-Public South B:
1-Rutgers Prep vs. 9-Mater Dei or 8-Holy Spirit