As NJSIAA basketball tourney gets underway, here are 14 area teams that could win titles

March can be fickle weather-wise. What’s the saying? Don’t like the weather, wait 15 minutes, it’ll change?

Well, March can be fickle for high school basketball teams.

A top-seed could get upset. Someone goes on a run, but then it ends with a thud.

But others will win championships. Some will be favorites, some will be surprises.

Last year, the Montgomery boys were fantastic all year, narrowly lost the Somerset County title game to Rutgers Prep, then went on an won Central Jersey Group 4. The SCT-champion Rutgers Prep girls won yet another South B title in non-public. The Colonia boys won the GMC, then took its third-straight North 2, Group 3 title.

But there was also the wonderful run by Manville’s boys to the Central Jersey Group 1 title game. And Hillsborough’s girls won their first-ever sectional title, taking the North 2, Group 4 crown.

So who’s got a shot to win it this year? In no particular order, here are 14 teams – seven girls’ teams, seven boys’ squads – we think could bring home some hardware in the 2025 NJSIAA state playoffs, which begin Wednesday afternoon and evening for public schools in Groups 1 and 3. Find the Wednesday schedule here.

And, of course, anyone else can make a run. Who knows who the states will playout? Records aren’t always a good indicator. Sometimes, different styles of play don’t mesh, and matchup problems and other issues can help lead to an upset. You’ve got to be in it to win it, but here are some of our favorites.

GIRLS’ CONTENDERS

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3: Somerville
The Pioneers are the two-seed, and look like they have a decent road. At 21-5, they come in on a five-game win streak since getting knocked out of the Somerset County Tournament by eventual runner-up and third-seed Hillsborough in the quarterfinals. Kaylee Lauber and Charlotte Taylor are the top scorers. Should the Pioneers get to the finals, they would most likely be at top-seed Chatham, which is 26-2, but if they get upset anywhere along the way, Ville would end up hosting a final as the two-seed. The ‘Ville opens Wednesday with 15-seed Colonia.

Central Jersey Group 1: Bound Brook
Top-seed New Providence has been outstanding all year long. At 24-2, they’re Union County Tournament champs. But the Lady Crusaders wouldn’t have to play them until the finals, if they get there. After an opening round game against Florence at home Wednesday, they would face either 6-seed Roselle Park or 11-seed Brearley in the quarters, before most likely getting second-seed Thrive Charter in the semis. The former Trenton Catholic, they’re now a charter and in the public grouping – with many criticizing that, more specifically on the boys’ side, in the same section College Achieve Asbury Park dominated last year before dropping out of the NJSIAA altogether. The girls, though, are 15-5 – physical, but not as dominating as the boys. Get through the first two rounds, then Thrive, they would get New Providence, unless the Pioneers get upset themselves.

Central Jersey Group 4: Hillsborough, Monroe, Franklin
This might not be a wide-open section, but you’d have to figure the top two seeds are favorites. North 2, Group 4 is a very strong section, but the Raiders won it last year. This year, CJ4 seems a bit more wide open. After the Raiders, you have Monroe, which got some good news since its defeat in the GMC Tournament championship game: Evangelina Francisco, who had been ejected, was cleared by the NJSIAA to play in the state tournament, after reviewing game footage, according to Monroe head coach Brian Hinz. (The NJSIAA did not return a request for comment.) The Raiders open Thursday against 16-seed Long Branch, while Monroe faces GMC foe North Brunswick. Besides them, throw Franklin in this list. They play in what might be one of the toughest divisions in the CJSR coverage area. While they’re 9-15, two of those losses came to Rutgers Prep, three to Gill St. Bernard’s (including one in the SCT semifinals) and one to Hillsborough – by just four, but they won the rematch by three. Take out those six losses and they’re 15-9. Take ’em out or not, they’re a legit contender as a five-seed. They’re on the Hillsborough side of the bracket, and how good would a semifinal matchup be between those two?? Count on at least one of those three teams being in the final, with a chance to take it all. Franklin entertains 12-seed Old Bridge in the opening round Thursday.

Non-Public South B: Rutgers Prep:
The Argonauts are going through a bit of a transition season. The last several years, a couple of key players would graduate, and some new ones would come in. This year, Mary Klinger’s squad had to replace four starters, and with two transfers, it’s been an adjustment. Still, they’re 18-6 and the two-seed in South B with a first-round bye. So they’ll only need to win two games to get to the finals, and they’re as good a bet as any. They open Monday against the winner of Friday’s first-round game between 7-seed Holy Cross Prep and 10-seed Moorestown Friends. They’re likely semifinal opponent would be third-seed Wildwood Catholic – no picnic at 22-5 – and they would likely get top-seed Gloucester Catholic (23-4) in the title game on March 10 down at Jackson Liberty HS. One note to keep in mind: should they win a sectional title, they won’t face Morris Catholic again, after falling to them two straight years in the Non-Public Group B state final. That’s because they moved up to the larger-school Group A this season.

Non-Public North B: Gill St. Bernard’s:
The Knights beat Rutgers Prep this season for the first time in ages, and then topped Hillsborough for their first Somerset County Tournament championship in eleven years. And with so few teams – just seven! – in this section, they only need to win two games to be champions. They open next Thursday, March 6, against the winner of 5-seed Roselle Catholic and 4-seed Hudson Catholic, with the winner there going to the finals. Head coach Mark Gnapp may not position it to his team this way, but we will: this has been Gill’s best team in years, and it’s theirs for the taking. But don’t count out potential finalist Montclair-Immaculate on the other side of the bracket. At 17-8, they’re the two-seed, but probably also a little inspired by the fact the school will be closing after this year. And you never know how that back-to-the-wall inspiration might manifest itself on the hardwood.

BOYS’ CONTENDERS

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3: Colonia
Even if you didn’t look at this year’s team, having won three straight automatically puts them in the category of a favorite. Couple that another wonderful season at 23-4, a second straight GMC Tournament title, and wins over powerhouses like St. Peter’s Prep and La Lumiere (IN), and this is the Patriots’ jam. This may be their best team of the past four seasons, with Aiden Derkack continuing to improve, and a great supporting cast of R.J. Wortman and Julien Jones, Zach Smith and Dylan Chiera, all of whom know they want Aiden with the ball, but can score when called upon. Oh, and they play great defense. The Patriots host Cranford Wednesday in the opening round.

Central Jersey Group 4: Montgomery
Ironically, the Cougars open first round play with the same team they faced in last year’s title game, Monroe. Except this time, the Falcons are the 16-seed. Once they get past that, it’s the winner of the 8/9 game between Hightstown and East Brunswick, and they could also get a CJSR team in the semis: Hillsborough, North Brunswick or Old Bridge. Monty has been excellent, getting Ethan Lin back has been huge, and he’s set numerous career highs this year, continually upping the ante. Dark horse? Hard to say it as a two-seed, and maybe it’s just because Montgomery has “been there, done that” and is a clear No. 1, but don’t count out Sayreville. It wouldn’t surprise anyone to see them in the finals making the long trip out to Skillman next weekend.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4: Piscataway, Ridge
Yeah, we know Plainfield is really good. The top-seeded Cardinals are 23-3 and third in the statewide rankings. Does Piscataway have a shot? Not sure. But why not? They play great defense, can score, have bought into Bob Turco’s game plan in his first year as coach, and are phenomenally in sync as a group. But they gave Colonia a ride in the GMC title tilt, and could do the same against the Cardinals, though it would have to be in the semifinals, and yes, it would be a mammoth upset. Piscataway might be one of a few teams who could pull that off. They just got what is one of their biggest wins of the year Saturday, the day after the GMC finals. The Chiefs open Thursday against Bridgewater-Raritan. Ridge is also very good, and the third-seeded Blue Devils have 14-seed Union at home Thursday to open with. They’d have to get by 2-seed Elizabeth potentially in the second round.

Non-Public North B: Gill St. Bernard’s
The Knights are the top-seed and the Somerset County Tournament champs. Probably their biggest challenged would be if they got to the finals, and most likely play two-seed Roselle Catholic. But guess what? They played the Lions to a one-point loss this season, 43-42 on January 12th. So, they’ve got as good a shot as anyone else to win it. That’s about as close to 50-50 as you could get.

Non-Public South B: Rutgers Prep
The Somerset County Tournament runner up, the Argonauts are the No. 2 seed, and lost by 17 back in December to St. Rose, the top-seed. But if they can get to the finals, they’ll have another crack at them. With a double-bye, Prep only needs a couple of wins to get there.