Somerset County Tournament tips off tonight with boys’ and girls’ first round games

There are five games total on tap on the boys’ and girls’ sides in the 2025 Somerset County Tournament, which tips off tonight with games at higher seeds.

Winners move on to the second round this Saturday, and quarterfinals the following Saturday, February 8th, also at higher seeds. Semifinals will be at Franklin High School on Saturday, the 15th, with the finals on Saturday, February 22.

Here’s a look at Thursday’s schedule and matchups:

BOYS

• (13) Bound Brook (9-9) at (12) Somerville (12-5), 5:30 pm: This will be the second meeting this season between the Crusaders and Pioneers, with Somerville having just beaten them a second time Tuesday night, 72-38, at home. It’ll be back on the Pioneers’ court for this one. Somerville won in Bound Brook on January 11th, 40-30, in a game heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Bound Brook had won six in a row against The ‘Ville, with the Pioneers’ last win ion the series – before this year – coming back in 2020.
• (14) Manville (11-3) at (11) Bernards (8-8), 7 pm: The Mountaineers won the their only meeting this year, 58-38 in Manville back on January 3rd. It was the Mustangs’ first loss of the season after a 4-0 start. They’ve won their last four, while Bernards has lost three straight and four of five heading into this matchup.

GIRLS

• (13) Montgomery (6-11) at (12) Bound Brook (11-4), 5:30 pm: Being a large school versus a small school, these two don’t meet often. They’ve only met three times since 2020, but the Crusaders have won all of them. Monty’s last win came in 2013, 47-9, but since then, The Brook came out victorious in 2020, 2021 and last season, 59-32. The other two wins were both by 20 points.
• (14) Bridgewater-Raritan (7-9) at (11) Ridge (4-12), 7:30 pm: These two are in different divisions, but have a crossover scheduled for February 15th. Obviously, this one has a bit more meaning. The Red Devils won in a blowout last year, 51-18, but that was their second meeting. The first was a 47-42 win for Ridge, much closer. The Panthers have lost six straight to Ridge, the last win coming by a 40-25 score in the North 2, Group 4 sectional quarterfinals in 2018.
• (15) Manville (8-5) at (10) Watchung Hills (7-9), 5:30 pm: This will be the first meeting between the schools in at least a decade-and-a-half. And they come in on opposite ends of the spectrum. The Mustangs have won four straight, while Watchung Hills – which had started the season 7-3 – has lost six-in-a-row since.