GMC will figure large atop CJ4 playoff section: a look at where area teams stand for states

The high school basketball regular season is more than past the halfway point, which means it’s crunch time for teams making a push toward the state tournament – even though the counties come first.

We’re taking a look at where the Greater Middlesex Conference and Somerset County teams stand in terms of power points, ahead of the NJSIAA playoff cutoff date on Saturday, February 10th.

The big thing to remember is there are still about three weeks left in the regular season, a lot of games to be played, and that the top 16 power point values count toward a team’s standing. Since lower scores are dropped as higher scores come in, and wins are worth a lot more than losses, a team with 14 wins has more room to gain ground than a team with 16 wins.

Here is a section-by-section look at every section with teams from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area, based on the official NJSIAA standings as calculated by NJ.com, with data retrieved as of 10 am on Sunday, January 21st.

Central Jersey Group 4: It’s a pretty good likelihood that a GMC team will get the top seed in this section, and it will be interesting to see if this is a good indicator how strong – and balanced – the GMC is. Of the top seven teams occupying the top six spots (there’s a tie for sixth) there are five teams from Middlesex County and one from Somerset. Monroe (11-4) leads the pack at 340 points, but there’s not a lot of separation with the teams behind them. Montgomery (10-1) is just seven points behind, with 333, followed by Old Bridge (8-8, 303), Sayreville (11-4, 289) and North Brunswick (8-6, 264). Then, there’s a sixth place tie between East Brunswick (7-10, 258) and Manalapan (9-4). However, that’s the end of the local teams, for now. New Brunswick (18th, 5-9, 141) and South Brunswick (19th, 1-13, 127) sit outside the bubble and will have some work to do in the coming weeks if they’re to make the field.

Central Jersey Group 3: There aren’t a lot of area teams here to begin with, with only two being a real factor. The top spot is held by Red Bank Regional (11-3, 344 points). They have a sizeable lead (74 points) over Burlington Township (10-4). The highest standing area team is Carteret (8-6, 227), with the Ramblers having a good shot at – the very least – a first round home game with a top eight finish. Then, there’s a three-way tie for seventh heading into Sunday, with Somerville (6-8), Freehold Borough (9-3) and Middletown North (7-9) all tied with 221 points, just six behind Carteret. It’s a very tight middle of the pack here.

Central Jersey Group 2: Defending statewide Group 2 champion Manasquan (13-1, 383 points) leads the pack here by a decent, but not insurmountable margin over Rumson-Fair Haven (11-3, 342). Spotswood is the top GMC team here at 9-5, with 239 points, but just six points ahead of Bound Brook (7th, 10-5, 233 points). After Bordentown (7-8, 228) in eighth, there’s Metuchen (8-7, 194) and Middlesex (8-7, 187). South River – lost to ‘Squan in last year’s sectional final here, is 6-7 at the moment, with 173 points, but in 13th place. But there’s room to gain for the Rams if they can get hot late.

Central Jersey Group 1: Henry Hudson leads the pack here (13-1, 269) followed by Shore (11-3) not far behind at 250 points. But it’s a little further back to get to third-place Manville at 8-4 with 202 points, just one ahead of Brearley (7-3, 201). South Amboy sits in sixth but is not eligible due to disqualifications, so that would move Perth Amboy Magnet (7-4, 165) up to seventh, and could help them get a first round home game. Dunellen sits in 10th (6-7, 140) with the South Amboy adjustment, leaving Highland Park (5-8) and Somerset Tech (3-10) tied for 13th at 119 points each. And for those following, College Achieve Asbury Park, the Dave Boff version of Roselle Catholic South, stands in fifth at 8-3, with 175 points, and a big Sunday game against Montgomery on tap.

North Jersey, Section 2 – Group 4: It’s possible three Somerset County schools have a crack at the top seed here, and right now it’s Watchung Hills with the leg up. The Warriors are 11-2 with 376 points, 59 ahead of second place Elizabeth, which also is 11-2. Ridge (9-3, 310) is in third, tied with Scotch Plains-Fanwood (10-6). Then, it’s Hillsborough in fifth at 10-2, with 303 points, and a big home game Tuesday against Rutgers Prep, which can be heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio (7 pm tip). Woodbridge (8-5, 259) is the highest GMC team here, in eighth, and Piscataway is two spots behind them at 8-8, with 243 points. There are a bunch of four teams on the outside looking in, but not that far off the mark. From 17-to-20 is Perth Amboy (6-10, 219), Franklin (5-7, 217), Bridgewater-Raritan (5-9, 203) and JP Stevens (6-7, 174). The Hawks are only 49 points out of a playoff spot, the furthest away; the Panthers are just four points out. They all have a mathematical shot.

North Jersey, Section 2 – Group 3: The title here has gone to Colonia the last two seasons, and the Patriots are right in the thick of it again. Cranford leads the pack at 10-4, with 369 points, and South Plainfield (11-4, 342) is close behind. (We’ll have the Tigers on CJSR Thursday night at 7 pm when they host Woodbridge.) After Millburn (11-3, 328) and Payne Tech (9-4, 319), there’s Colonia in fifth at 9-5, with 311 points. Then, you have to go all the way down the list to North Plainfield in 18th, with a 4-9 record and 174 points. But they can get if they can string some late wins together, which would make up a lot of ground. The current 16th place team is Governor Livingston, at 7-5, but 197 points, just 23 points away from the Canucks. 

North Jersey, Section 2 – Group 2: The only area team here is Bernards, and the Mountaineers are 9-5 with 256 points, sitting in seventh place. They’re a good bet for a first round home game at least. Madison leads the pack at 11-3, with 324 points.

Non-Public South A: With just 13 teams here, everyone makes the field. Red Bank Catholic leads at 10-5 with 375 points, with Christian Brothers Academy just six points behind at 11-3. And then, in third, just one point behind is St. Joseph-Metuchen. The Falcons are 11-4 with 368 points. Rutgers Prep (10-4) is in fifth, 46 behind Paul VI, and their Tuesday game (7 pm on CJSR) at Hillsborough is a big one for them, too. Pingry is in sixth at 9-2, with 299 points, then Immaculata in tenth (6-6, 233).

Non-Public North B: Morris Catholic leads the pack of 15 teams who will all get in, at 13-1, with 420 points, a sizeable lead over St. Mary-Rutherford with a 12-2 mark and 342 points. Then, it’s St. Thomas Aquinas in third (11-4, 290). After Montclair-Immaculate (8-5, 254), there’s Timothy Christian (9-4, 242) just 12 points away from a top four finish, and Gill St. Bernard’s – with an uncharacteristic 7-7 record, and at 211 points – in sixth. Wardlaw-Hartridge (0-13, 77) is 14th among the 15 teams.

Non-Public South B: The only area team in this section is Calvary Christian, which is 9-1 with 158 points and sitting in eighth out of the 14 teams, who can all get in. The leader is St. Rose of Belmar (15-1, 498), well ahead of second-place Trenton Catholic, which is 11-3 but with only 260 points. We feel good giving St. Rose the top-seed at this point, with a whopping 238 point lead!