Hillsborough girls advance to sectional title game for second time in three seasons; South Brunswick knocked out with loss at Howell

A year ago, the Hillsborough girls’ basketball team lost to Bayonne by 30 points in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 quarterfinals.

What a difference a year and one more round make.

The second-seeded Raiders advanced to their second sectional final in three seasons Wednesday night with a 57-49 home win over the third-seeded Bees. The win also gives ‘Boro (20-8) its first 20-win season in at least a decade-and-a-half.

Despite falling behind 10-2 early, the Raiders rallied back and took the lead. It stayed tight for the remainder, with the lead as slim as one at one point in the fourth quarter. Francesco Schiro led Hillsborough with 23 points.

Friday night, they’ll face fifth-seed Elizabeth, which upset top-seed Plainfield on the road, 51-50 Wednesday night. The Raiders’ last made a final in 2022, falling 69-42 at Westfield.

Click here to hear Hillsborough head coach Courtney Tierney talk about the Raiders’ win over Bayonne.

Meanwhile, South Brunswick’s run ended in the Central Jersey Group 4 semis. Two days after a buzzer-beating win at Monroe in the quarterfinals, the Vikings lost 45-42 at second-seed Howell Monday night.

Scroll down for Wednesday’s CJSR-area results, and upcoming schedule.

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS

Central Jersey Group 4 Semifinals
(2) Howell def. (6) South Brunswick, 45-42
No more CJSR-area teams remain in this section.

North Jersey, Section 2 – Group 4 Semifinals
(5) Elizabeth def. (1) Plainfield, 51-50
(2) Hillsborough def. (3) Bayonne, 57-49

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29

Central Jersey Group 1
(4) Point Pleasant Beach at (1) Middlesex, 5:30 pm (LISTEN LIVE)
(7) New Egypt at (3) Shore

North Jersey, Section 2 – Group 3
(1) Chatham winner vs. (4) Cranford
(3) Mendham at (2) Colonia, TBA

Non-Public North B Semifinals
(1) Morris Catholic winner vs. (4) Saddle River Day
(3) Gill St. Bernard’s at (2) Montclair-Immaculate, 5:30 pm

Non-Public South B Semifinals
(4) Gloucester Catholic at (1) Rutgers Prep, 5 pm
(7) Ranney at (3) St. Rose-Belmar

FRIDAY, MARCH 1

North Jersey, Section 2 – Group 4 Final
(5) Elizabeth at (2) Hillsborough