The NJSIAA has announced its playoff pairings for the 2026 boys’ basketball state tournament, with the seeding taking place down in Robbinsville Tuesday morning, and five Central Jersey Sports Radio area teams got top seeds.
Among the publics, Hillsborough earned the No. 1 seed in Central Jersey Group 4, which Montgomery has won the last two seasons. The Cougars got the third seed based on the state’s power points formula, despite beating Hillsborough twice this season.
In North Jersey, Section 2, Piscataway got the top Group 4 seed, while resurgent Colonia got the No. 1 seed in the Group 3 section; those two will meet Wednesday evening in the GMC Tournament semifinals.
And in the Non-Publics, Gill St. Bernard’s took the No. 1 seed in Non-Public North B, while Rutgers Prep is the top-seed in South B.
Overall, 36 teams from the CJSR coverage area qualified.
The NJSIAA state playoffs begins on Tuesday, February 24th, with the opening round for public sections in Groups 2 and 4. Groups 1 and 3 begin the next day, while Non-Public Group A begins play on Thursday, March 26, and Group B the day after. Public sectional finals are Friday and Saturday, March 6-7, while non-publics are held on Monday, March 9. The state finals will be at Rutgers, with Non-Public A and B title games on Thursday, March 12th, public Groups 2 and 4 Saturday, March 14, and Groups 1 and 3 on Sunday, March 15.
Here are the first-round matchups, section by section, with CJSR-area teams in bold. The brackets become official as of noon Wednesday.
Central Jersey Group 4
- (16) Old Bridge at (1) Hillsborough
- (9) Franklin at (8) Freehold Twp.
- (12) Hightstown at (5) Jackson Twp.
- (13) Edison at (4) East Brunswick
- (14) Manalapan at (3) Montgomery
- (11) Hunterdon Central at (6) Trenton
- (10) South Brunswick at (7) Sayreville
- (15) Princeton at (2) Marlboro
Central Jersey Group 2
- (16) Bordentown at (1) Wall
- (9) Robbinsville at (8) Holmdel
- (12) Roselle at (5) Manasquan
- (13) Spotswood at (4) Delaware Valley
- (14) Governor Livingtson at (3) Ocean Twp.
- (11) Monmouth at (6) Johnson
- (10) Pt. Pleasant Boro at (7) Rumson-Fair Haven
- (15) Delran at (2) Metuchen
Central Jersey Group 1
- (16) Keansburg at (1) Thrive Charter
- (9) Bound Brook at (8) Henry Hudson
- (120 New Providence at (5) Piscataway Magnet
- (13) Roselle Park at (4) Shore
- (14) South Hunterdon at (3) Middlesex
- (11) Dunellen at (6) Manville
- (10) Dayton at (7) South Amboy
- (15) Perth Amboy Magnet at (2) Pt. Pleasant Beach
North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4
- (16) JP Stevens at (1) Piscataway
- (9) Columbia at (8) Dickinson
- (12) Scotch Plains-Fanwood at (5) Bayonne
- (13) Bridgewater-Raritan at (4) Plainfield
- (14) Ferris at (3) Union
- (11) North Star Academy at (6) Perth Amboy
- (10) Ridge at (7) Elizabeth
- (15) Westfield at (2) Linden
North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3
- (16) North Hunterdon at (1) Colonia
- (9) Somerville at (8) Randolph
- (12) Payne Tech at (5) Mendham
- (13) Summit at (4) Warren Hills
- (140 Nutley at (3) Millburn
- (11) Cliffside Park at (6) South Plainfield
- (10) North Plainfield at (7) Cranford
- (15) Fort Lee at (2) Chatham
North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2
- (16) Newark West Side at (1) Newark Collegiate
- (9) Bernards at (8) Weequahic
- (12) Hanover Park at (5) Hackettstown
- (13) Rutherford at (4) Madison
- (14) Snyder at (3) Ridgefield Park
- (11) Becton at (6) Caldwell
- (10) Hillside at (7) Voorhees
- (15) McNair at (2) Lyndhurst
Non-Public North B
- (9) Eastern Christian at (8) Pioneer Academy, winner at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s
- (12) Franklin School (Jersey City) at (5) Morristown-Beard, winner at (4) St. Mary-Rutherford
- (11) Koinonia at (6) Montclair-Kimberley, winner at (3) Morris Catholic
- (10) Wardlaw-Hartridge at (7) Timothy Christian, winner at (2) Roselle Catholic
Non-Public South A
- (9) Union Catholic at (8) St. Augustine, winner at (1) Paul VI
- (12) St. John Vianney at (5) Red Bank Catholic
- (13) Donovan Catholic at (4) St. Joseph-Metuchen
- (14) Notre Dame at (3) St. Peter’s Prep
- (11) St. Thomas Aquinas at (6) Immaculta
- (10) Pingry at (7) Camden Catholic, winner at (2) Christian Brothers Academy
Non-Public South B
- (9) Princeton Day at (8) St. Rose, winner at (1) Rutgers Prep
- (12) Noor-ul-iman at (5) Bishop Eustace
- (13) Moorestown Friends at (4) Doane Academy
- (11) Calvary Christian at (6) Ranney, winner at (3) Holy Spirit
- (10) Wildwood Catholic at (7) Gloucester Catholic, winner at (2) Holy Cross Prep
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