Gill St. Bernard’s hosts Villa Walsh in the Non-Public North B semifinals in Peapack, NJ, on March 5, 2026. (Source: Hudl)
After a light Wednesday, it was a busy Thursday for girls basketball in the NJSIAA state tournament, highlighted by Franklin’s win over Hillsborough in the Central Jersey Group 4 title game.
The Warriors won their first title since 2020 and ended Hillsborough’s two-year run as sectional champions, with one in North 2, Group 4 in 2024 – the school’s first ever – and another last season in Central Jersey Group 4.
Meanwhile, Pingry pulled an upset in Non-Public North A, as the 6th-seeded Big Blue beat second-seed Immaculate Heart, sending them to their first ever title game. Rutgers Prep rolled in the South B semis to make their 6th straight title game. And Gill St. Bernard’s cruised as well to go to the North B final.
However, St. Thomas Aquinas fell to Red Bank Catholic in the South A semifinal down the Shore.
Scroll through for recaps, audio, and links to separate stories, followed by an updated upcoming schedule with dates and times.
Central Jersey Group 4
Top-seed Franklin is back on top, with a coach who’s been there before. Before coming to the Warriors this season to bring the program back to Audrey Taylor/Diamond Miller levels, Jimmy Kreie was at the controls at Montclair-Immaculate, which ended Gill St. Bernard’s season last year in the North B title game, then won the state Group B title over Gloucester Catholic. This year, he has the Warriors at 22-8 – coming off an 11-16 season – and they’re champions for the first time since 2020, when they beat Ridge to win CJ4. They also won their state semifinal game against Randolph before the COVID-19 pandemic ended the tournament early.
Non-Public North A
Pingry is in a sectional final for the first time ever, as the sixth-seeded Big Blue knocked off second-seed Immaculate Heart on the road, 46-43. Pingry (17-10) led 13-11 after one, but went into the locker room at the half tied at 23, before taking a four-point lead heading into the final quarter, and they held on to win. Charlotte Huntzinger led all scorers with 14, while Sadie Dalmon added 11 and Val Triana chipped in ten. They’ll play in the North A final at Franklin High School Monday at 7 pm against either top-seed Morris Catholic or fourth-seed DePaul.
- (6) Pingry def. (2) Immaculate Heart, 46-43
- (4) DePaul at (1) Morris Catholic, 7:30 pm
Non-Public South A
Fourth-seed and seven-time GMC Tournament champion St. Thomas Aquinas (24-7) saw its season come to an end with a 68-31 loss at top-seed and perennial state power Red Bank Catholic. Down 14-6 after one, the Trojans trailed 29-12 at the half, and only managed single-digit scoring in each of the first three quarters, with the Caseys pulling away in the first eight minutes after halftime on a 22-8 run. Leah Kearney was the only Aquinas player in double figures, finishing the night with ten points. Addy Nyemchek led all scorers with 37 points, and had 14 rebounds to finish with a double-double.
- (1) Red Bank Catholic def. (4) St. Thomas Aquinas, 68-31
- (2) St. John Vianney def. (3) Paul VI, 63-54
Non-Public North B
Top-seed Gill St. Bernard’s is back in the sectional finals for the second straight year, after beating fourth-seed Villa Walsh, 78-37, at home. The Knights put up a whopping 37 points in the first quarter and led by 22 after one, then 62-22 at the half to kick in a running clock for the entire second half. The Knights will face second-seed Saddle River Day in the North B Final at 7 pm Monday at Paterson Kennedy.
- (1) Gill St. Bernard’s def. (4) Villa Walsh, 78-37
- (2) Saddle River Day def. (3) Hudson Catholic, 39-38
Non-Public South B
Make it six straight sectional finals for Rutgers Prep, as the top-seeded Argonauts were 79-46 winners over 5th-seed Stuart Day Thursday night. Prep cruised from the beginning, jumping out to a 24-9 lead at the end of one, and Natalia Valdez was a big reason why. She hit six treys in the game and finished with 21 points, while Cali McCoy added 14. Prep will rematch with second-seed Gloucester Catholic in the South B final Monday night at 7 at Jackson Township (formerly Jackson Liberty) High School.
- (1) Rutgers Prep def. (5) Stuart Day, 79-46
- (2) Gloucester Catholic def. (3) Wildwood Catholic, 72-29
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, MARCH 7
Central Jersey Group 1 Final
- (2) Bound Brook at (1) New Providence, 11 am (LIVE on CJSR)
MONDAY, MARCH 9
Non-Public North A Final
- (6) Pingry vs. (1) Morris Catholic/(4) DePaul, 7:00 pm at Franklin HS
Non-Public North B Final
- (1) Gill St. Bernard’s vs. (2) Saddle River Day, 7 pm at JFK Paterson HS
Non-Public South B Final
- (1) Rutgers Prep vs. (2) Gloucester Catholic, 7 pm at Jackson Twp. H.S. (formerly Jackson Liberty)
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