Tag: playoffs

by Mike Pavlichko

Boys’ Power Points Update: Piscataway, red-hot Colonia appear to gain top-seeds in North 2 playoff sections

With playoff qualification in high school basketball closing Saturday at the NJSIAA cutoff, Piscataway appears to have locked in the top seed in North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4, while four-time defending champs Colonia in North 2, Group 3 have used a late-season surge to appear to take the top seed, yet again.

Below is a look at all the area teams in the Central Jersey playoff brackets, based on NJ.com power point standings as of 2 pm on Sunday, February 15, 2026. It should be noted that the standings could change as the NJSIAA confirms records and details of the formula heading into Tuesday’s seeding meeting in Robbinsville, at which point the brackets will be announced. They become official (pending any discrepancies) as of noon on Wednesday.

First round action begins on Tuesday, March 24th.

Below is our analysis of the sections, and unofficial projected matchups, in the North Jersey, Section 2 playoff sections. Click on the header for each section to visit the NJ.com standings for that section. Please note that unlike football, there is no “head-to-head” jump of teams, unless they are tied in power points, in which case head-to-head is merely the first of several tiebreakers.

Top eight seeds get first round home games, the top four are guaranteed the first two rounds, and top two get home court advantage through the semifinals.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4:

In a section that features powerhouse Linden and defending Group 4 champion Plainfield, beating each other up in the Union County Conference play didn’t help either get the top seed, which appears it will go to Piscataway (19-6) by a sizable margin of a little more than two points. The Tigers (16-8) get the No. 2 seed, it would appear, moving up from three a week ago, followed by Union (18-4) and the Cardinals (19-4) to complete the top four.

After that, it’s Bayonne, followed by Perth Amboy (21-5) in sixth, then Elizabeth and Dickinson to round out the top eight.

After Columbia at nine, Ridge (13-11) moves up one spot from our Super Bowl Sunday analysis to get the tenth spot, followed by North Star Academy and Scotch Plains-Fanwood. Bridgewater-Raritan (12-13) dropped a spot in the last week and appears to get the 13th seed, with Ferris and Westfield after them before JP Stevens (11-13), which survived the bubble. The Hawks dropped from 15 to 16 in the past week, during which they went 1-1, getting jumped by the Blue Devils.

Here are the projected first round matchups:

  • (16) JP Stevens at (1) Piscataway
  • (15) Westfield at (2) Linden
  • (14) Ferris at (3) Union
  • (13) Bridgewater-Raritan at (4) Plainfield
  • (12) Scotch Plains-Fanwood at (5) Bayonne
  • (11) North Star Academy at (6) Perth Amboy
  • (10) Ridge at (7) Elizabeth
  • (9) Columbia at (8) Dickinson

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3:

How about the Colonia Patriots? This is a squad that lost a ton, started the year 2-6, and now is 16-8, having won 14 of their last 16 games. Their reward? The No. 1 seed, it appears, and by just under six-tenths of a point. As of last week, they were threatening, but still in the No. 2 slot by about half what their final margin was behind Millburn (20-4). The Millers fell to three, while third-place Chatham (19-4) moves up and gets the two spot after a 3-0 week. Warren Hills (19-4) rounds out the top four.

After fifth-seed Mendham, South Plainfield (17-7) holds steady from a week ago and should get thee sixth seed, with Cranford (16-8) and Randolph (14-1) rounding out the top eight.

A week ago, Somerville (now 15-9) and North Plainfield (13-12) were at nine and ten, and they appear to hold on to those spots, the last two teams from the CJSR coverage area. JFK (11-13) had been in 14th, and Carteret (9-15) had been in 16th by less than a point, but both got bounced – to 18 and 17, respectively – as Fort Lee came from the wrong side of the bubble to take 15th, and North Hunterdon 16th.

Here are the projected first round matchups:

  • (16) North Hunterdon at (1) Colonia
  • (15) Fort Lee at (2) Chatham
  • (14) Nutley at (3) Millburn
  • (13) Summit at (4) Warren Hills
  • (12) Payne Tech at (5) Mendham
  • (11) Cliffside Park at (6) South Plainfield
  • (10) North Plainfield at (7) Cranford
  • (9) Somerville at (8) Randolph

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2:

Please note, power points closed at noon Sunday, still only counting games through Saturday. This section has been changed to reflect an update to the standings since our data was pulled earlier in the morning.

Newark Collegiate appears to have held on to the top spot, while the only CJSR-area team in the section, Bernards (8-15), dropped on spot, dropped from eight to nine, where they will begin the playoffs on the road.

Here are the projected first-round matchups:

  • (16) Newark West Side at (1) Newark Collegiate
  • (15) McNair at (2) Lyndhurst
  • (14) Snyder at (3) Ridgefield Park
  • (13) Rutherford at (4) Madison
  • (12) Hanover Park at (5) Hackettstown
  • (11) Becton) at (6) Caldwell
  • (10) Hillside at (7) Voorhees
  • (9) Bernards at (8) Weequahic

by Mike Pavlichko

Boys’ Power Points Update in Central Jersey sections: Hillsborough appears to squeeze out Montgomery for top-seed in CJ4, while CJ1 is loaded with local schools

With playoff qualification in high school basketball closing Saturday at the NJSIAA cutoff, it looks like Hillsborough will be the only Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area team getting a top seed, having wrestled it away from Montgomery in the final week.

Below is a look at all the area teams in the Central Jersey playoff brackets, based on NJ.com power point standings as of 2 pm on Sunday, February 15, 2026. It should be noted that the standings could change as the NJSIAA confirms records and details of the formula heading into Tuesday’s seeding meeting in Robbinsville, at which point the brackets will be announced. They become official (pending any discrepancies) as of noon on Wednesday.

First round action begins on Tuesday, March 24th.

Below is our analysis of the sections, and unofficial projected matchups, in the Central Jersey playoff sections. Click on the header for each section to visit the NJ.com standings for that section. Please note that unlike football, there is no “head-to-head” jump of teams, unless they are tied in power points, in which case head-to-head is merely the first of several tiebreakers.

Top eight seeds get first round home games, the top four are guaranteed the first two rounds, and top two get home court advantage through the semifinals.

Central Jersey Group 4:

When we run football playoff projections, we have our own spreadsheets and formulas to run scenarios with, and of course, it’s relatively easy to keep up with, since teams play one game every week, and most teams play every week. In basketball, teams pick up and cancel games last minute, and we operate with the numbers as posted online. With so many variables, wed some educated guess work, and in this case we were wrong. We believed East Brunswick (19-6) may have had a shot at Montgomery (20-4) – at least had they beaten St. Thomas Aquinas Saturday in the GMC Tournament quarterfinals – but as it turns out, the Cougars have been jumped, twice. Hillsborough (18-6) climbed to the top with 34.807 power points, with a narrow lead over Marlboro (18-4, 34.298). Montgomery ends up in third in the standings, as we look at it today, with 33.98 points, a difference of 0.827 points. Marlboro had a thrilling win Saturday over Howell in the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals, and Hillsborough had a big win over Rutgers Prep on Monday, a team Montgomery has lost to twice, most recently Saturday in the Somerset County Tournament semifinals. But let’s get back to that. Hillsborough has lost twice this season – by 15 and 16 points – to Montgomery, their neighbors to the south, including just last Saturday in the SCT quarterfinals. Montgomery has just four losses, and besides the two to Prep, one came to Gill St. Bernard’s and another to Linden, all in the span of a week in January, and all are Top 10 teams in NJ.com’s state rankings. Rutgers Prep is ninth, Linden No. 8 and Gill No. 3. From our vantage point, crunching the numbers, ‘Boro has more residuals, and more of its opponents have more wins, however, the new OOWP (Opponent’s Opponent Winning Percentage) is higher for Montgomery, meaning the teams Montgomery faced actually played better opponents than the teams Hillsborough faced, which would seem to indicate that the teams Hillsborough played had more wins, but lesser quality wins than the teams Montgomery faced. One remedy could be to increase the OOWP factor in the future, but more research and analysis on this is likely needed.

Be that as it may, we’ve got Hillsborough at No. 1, then Marlboro, Montgomery, and East Brunswick rounding out the top four. That’s followed by Jackson Twp., Trenton, then Sayreville (15-10) in seventh, up one spot from our analysis last week, with Freehold Twp. in eighth.

Franklin (10-14) looks like they finish ninth – right where we left them a week ago – while South Brunswick (14-9) gained two spots, rising from 12th to ten. Edison (11-12) holds in 13th, and the bottom didn’t change, meaning Old Bridge stays on the right side of the bubble at 8-16 in the 16th and final playoff spot.

Here are the projected first round matchups:

  • (16) Old Bridge at (1) Hillsborough
  • (15) Princeton at (2) Marlboro
  • (14) Manalapan at (3) Montgomery
  • (13) Edison at (4) East Brunswick
  • (12) Hightstown at (5) Jackson Twp.
  • (11) Hunterdon Central at (6) Trenton
  • (10) South Brunswick at (7) Sayreville
  • (9) Franklin at (8) Freehold Twp.

Central Jersey Group 2:

As expected, Wall (19-1) hung on to the top spot here, and Metuchen (21-3) – the only 20-game winner in the section – appears to have held on to the No. 2 spot by a decent margin, so we don’t expect anything to change. Ocean Township (17-9) and Delaware Valley (18-7) round out the top four. There’s a long way down to the next area team, Spotswood (14-10), which fell one spot to 13 in the final standings. But, it appears bubble-team East Brunswick Magnet (11-13) is out, dropping from 16 to 17 – the wrong side of the bubble – in the past week.

Here are the projected first round matchups:

  • (16) Bordentown at (1) Wall
  • (15) Delran at (2) Metuchen
  • (14) Governor Livingston at (3) Ocean Twp.
  • (13) Spotswood at (4) Delaware Valley
  • (2) Roselle at (5) Manasquan
  • (11) Monmouth at (6) Johnson
  • (10) Pt. Pleasant Boro at (7) Rumson-Fair Haven
  • (9) Robbinsville at (8) Holmdel

Central Jersey Group 1:

The top five did not change over the past week, even though the margin between one and two here got a bit closer. Still, Thrive Charter (17-5) – in probably its last year in this section based on the state’s new “success formula” that moves non-traditional public schools up based on playoff wins and championships – should be the No. 1 seed, followed by Point Pleasant Beach (18-7), Middlesex (16-8) in third, and Shore (17-5) rounding out the top four.

Then, there are three area teams in a row, Piscataway Magnet (17-6) holding in fifth, Manville (15-8) up a spot to six and South Amboy (16-7) up two spots to seventh, with Henry Hudson (16-8) rounding out the top eight.

Bound Brook (15-10) climbed up one spot and appears it will get the nine seed, and after New Providence, Roselle Park and South Hunterdon, Perth Amboy Magnet (10-10) hods on to the 15th spot and qualifies after a 2-0 week. Central Jersey College Charter dropped from 17 to 18, out of the running.

Here are the projected first-round matchups:

  • (16) Keansburg at (1) Thrive Charter
  • (15) Perth Amboy Magnet at (2) Pt. Pleasant Beach
  • (14) South Hunterdon at (3) Middlesex
  • (13) Roselle Park at (4) Shore
  • (12) New Providence at (5) Piscataway Magnet
  • (11) Dunellen at (6) Manville
  • (10) Dayton at (7) South Amboy
  • (9) Bound Brook at (8) Henry Hudson

by Mike Pavlichko

OPINION: When will we get stability – and common sense – in high school football? Don’t count on it any time soon.

High school football is at it again.

According to a report out Thursday from Shore Sports Insider (formerly Shore Sports Network), the NJSIAA’s Leagues and Conferences committee has recommended that the NJSIAA move back to snaking playoff brackets in each section, rather than splitting them up geographically.

Snaked brackets are intended to “balance” them. In that process, when the top 16 in North and South in each group are determined, teams are placed into sections with, for example, the top overall seed in Central, then seeds 2 and 3 in South, then 4 and 5 in Central, 6 and 7 in South, and so on.

For those keeping score at home, this will be the sixth different format the NJSIAA has used for seeding high school football in nine playoff seasons, going back to 2017, and not counting the COVID year of 2020, when no state playoffs were held.

See if you can follow along:

  • 2017: Just like it had for years, the state was simply using power points for playoff qualification. The NJSIAA in the mid-2000s eliminated the “.500 or better” requirement to get in the playoffs.
  • 2018: In a radical shift, the NJSIAA adds the Born Power Index, and combines that and the traditional power point formula to make the NJUPR (United Power Ranking) to seed teams. The top 16 are split geographically, and the two eight-team sections are ranked top to bottom. But that could allow the fourth-place overall team to be a top-seed in their section.
  • 2019: Once it’s learned that the Born Power Index (a proprietary formula which was never revealed) gave teams better seeds by scoring more points in games – a fact discovered and revealed to the public by this reporter, who broke the code while at WCTC Radio – the NJSIAA ditches it, adopting a similar formula called the Strength Index, but using the number in reverse, counting the value of an opponent’s ranking instead. That eliminated the incentive to run up the score. Brackets also were snaked to get competitive balance, but it also meant teams would be in non-traditional sections (such as Middlesex being in a South Jersey Group 1 section, for example).
  • 2024: Group points are eliminated from the power point formula (not just in football, but all sports), but snaking remains.
  • 2025: After receiving complaints about travel (see the Middlesex example above) mainly in the South and Central sections, the NJSIAA goes back to teams being divided by geography after the field of 16 is set. But in a concession to snaking proponents, a better adjustment is made this time. The top two teams in the field of 16 are awarded No. 1 seeds, split among the two sections geographically (the Northernmost top seed would go in Central, the Southernmost in South, for example), then the rest of the teams were divided geographically, to achieve balance.

Now, the big move to cut down on travel appears on its way out the door, at the behest of the leagues and conferences.

But when will someone stand up and say enough is enough?

Every football coach in favor of snaking the top 16 in North and South – and some want to see the whole state be snaked, 1-to-32 in each group, use some variation of two arguments:

The first is: “We have true group champs now, we have to do it this way.”

The second is: “They drive five hours in Texas for a playoff game, why can’t we go 2 hours?”

Let’s address the first. Football was the only NJSIAA sport without group champions until 2023. Every other sport has them. But every other sport with as many teams as football also has sectional champions, and even when there was the Tournament of Champions – a six-team event featuring all the state group champs – they never lost a bit of lustre. Those sections are predetermined before the start of the season by the NJSIAA. They can change every couple of years, but relatively few move around. As a school’s population grows or shrinks, they move up or down. Some have been in the same section for decades.

There have been some complaints over the years, but as far as we know, none have ever gained any traction to the point the NJSIAA would upset the apple cart. St. Anthony, Christian Brothers, St. Patrick, all of them would meet somewhere before the Tournament of Champions Final. So what?

What makes football different? We get why the playoff formula needs to be different. Unlike basketball or baseball, your schedule is your schedule. Most can pick up a Week 0 game on their own, but with just nine games before the playoffs, there’s little opportunity to add a game. In basketball, some teams bounced early from their county tournaments are picking up random games to try and get power points and improve their standing. We’ve even seen baseball teams play a late pick-up game in the afternoon and play a county tournament game in the evening.

So before we finish this argument, let’s look at No. 2. And the answer to that is the same as No. 1: “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”

Yeah, we know, they do everything bigger in Texas. But let’s be real. Traveling two hours for a playoff game – a first round game at that – is ridiculous. Go look at the scores of first round games. Does an 8-seed really need to travel two hours to get their doors blown off by an eventual state champion??

Going back to when the state’s coaches voted on whether to adopt the Group Championships, many obviously liked it and voted yes. Others figured it would happen anyway, and voted yes, but worried sectional championship would be cheapened. And that’s exactly what happened, but not simply because there are group championships.

The snaking procedure turns a legitimate “Central Jersey Group 5” championship into a Group 5 quarterfinal. But we’re giving out a random trophy. For what? Washington Township is not the 2025 Central Jersey Group 5 champion. They are not from Central Jersey. No more than Old Bridge is from South Jersey.

Washington Township won a state Group 5 quarterfinal.

(And don’t get us started on whether “Central Jersey” is even a thing. Just stop right there.)

Every playoff formula is going to have its detractors, and someone is always going to get screwed. Or at least perceive that they have been screwed. But the bottom line is this: the best teams rarely fail to win. If they do, it’s not because you didn’t have a home game, or got a “bad matchup,” the worst excuse in the book.

Want to win a championship? Ignore the seeds. Make a tackle. Catch a ball. Make a goal line stand.

But for crying out loud stop whining.

The problem is, the people in charge keep listening.

When the NJSIAA changed the power point formula a couple of seasons ago and removed group points – teams would get more points for beating larger schools – they did it across the board. The reasoning was that school size didn’t automatically equate to a tougher opponent.

Debatable, but a fair point either way. And the state appropriately picked one criteria and applied it across all sports.

So if the powers that be want to let the inmates run the asylum, go for it. But then you might as well save the money on those meaningless sectional championship trophies.

The NJSIAA doesn’t want to do that, so far as we know. They like having sectional titles. But you can’t have it both ways. Either those games must have meaning, or they don’t.

So if high school football coaches want to go back to snaking, or even expand it to all 32 teams in each group, fine. I give up. You win.

But then get rid of sectional championship games entirely, because they don’t mean squat anymore.

Or, common sense can prevail, the recommendation should be rejected, and the NJSIAA can go back to traditional sections so that those trophies actually mean something.

Nothing is set in stone yet. The Executive Committee still must have its final say. Right now, it’s leaning toward snaking.

That’s a shame.

by Mike Pavlichko

Saturday is the NJSIAA cutoff date: We break down team-by-team where GMC, Somerset boys’ hoops teams stand

There’s only a week to go, but still a lot of basketball to be played when it comes to the push for the state playoffs.

Some will be playing GMC Tournament games this week, hoping for a deep run, while others will be playing regular season ball, but a few will have Somerset County Tournament semifinal games at Franklin this Saturday, with big power point values on the table.

All games up to an including Saturday will count, and the top 16 power point values will figure into each team’s ranking. Power points is a mixture of quality points, residuals, and the OOWP, Opponents’ Opponent Winning Percentage, a strength factor of sorts. Keep in mind, power points are an average, not a cumulative total, and as games are played, lower scores will drop off.

In that way, it’s possible that a loss won’t necessarily lower a team’s average. For example, if a team loses to a six-win team, and that’s their lowest score, it just won’t count toward the average. And if a team wins a big game, they may not necessarily gain that many points. Rather, they would gain the difference between that game, and a lower score that dropped off.

With that said, this will be our final full look at power points before the cutoff. We’ll take a look at the standings after Saturday and give our projections on Sunday, with the NJSIAA announcing the seeds and brackets next Tuesday. We’ll have those as well once they become official.

On to the breakdown! All analysis is based on NJSIAA power points as reported on NJ.com as of noon on February 8, 2026. Click the header on each section to go to the page for that section.

Central Jersey Group 4

Since our last update two weeks ago, the No. 1 and 2 teams have flip-flopped. Montgomery (19-3, 33.535) had trailed East Brunswick (18-5, 31.264) by 0.349 points, but now the Cougars are atop the section by 2.271 points over East Brunswick. Thei could come right down to the wire, and it’s even possible third-place Marlboro (15-4, 29.95) and fourth-place Hillsbroough (15-6, 29.262) could make a push for second, though likely not first; almost four points is tough to make up at this late stage of the game. Monty has a Thursday tilt with Hunterdon Central (10-12), and then, as the third-seed, will play second-seed Rutgers Prep (15-7) in the Somerset County Tournament semifinals at noon Saturday (live on CJSR). Both are big power point opportunities, with 36 for Central and 51 for prep before the OOWP is factored in. East Brunswick is locked into the GMC Tournament, done with its regular season, as they are the fourth-seed, have a double-bye, and await the winner of Tuesday’s preliminary round game between 21-seed JP Stevens (10-12) and 12-seed Piscataway Magnet (17-4). Neither are chopped liver in terms of power points, with St. Thomas Aquinas (9-13) awaiting Saturday at home in the quarterfinals should the Bears advance. Hillsborough has a massive game against Rutgers Prep (15-7) on Tuesday and has a non-conference matchup with Caldwell (15-4) Saturday. A split could lock up a four-seed, but if not – or even if they win out – they still might have to watch Jackson (15-4, 28.456) behind them, but probably not Trenton.

Right at the 8/9 line we have Sayreville (13-9, 23.242) and Franklin (9-12, 22.854). The ceiling for the Bombers is likely seventh, a spot occupied by Freehold Twp. (11-8, 24.906), just 1.664 points ahead of them. We think they probably won’t drop further than nine, but obviously top eight is the goal here so they can at least get one tournament game at the Bomb Shelter. Franklin, however, could be vulnerable down to 12, with Hunterdon Central (10-12, 20.949) in tenth, followed by Hightstown (10-14, 20.83) in 11th, and South Brunswick (12-8, 20.456) in 12th. Either way, most of that group will finish below the 8/9 line and open on the road. Edison (10-11, 19.472), right behind the Vikings, should be locked into a bottom eight seed, but we don’t think they’re quite a bubble team. They should be in.

The next interesting group is on the bubble. There are four GMC teams from 16 to 19: Old Bridge (7-14, 15.788), North Brunswick (6-16, 15.287), Monroe (5-16, 12.431) and New Brunswick (6-15, 12.247). The Zebras and Falcons are somewhat longshots, but North Brunswick and Old Bridge are separate by just 0.501 points, and that could easily flip-flop. Although 15th-place Manalapan (8-13) isn’t a lock either, so there’s a chance the Raiders and Knights could make it while the Braves miss. Too close to call at this point.

Central Jersey Group 2

First-place Wall (17-1, 33.672) just got knocked off by Colonia, and we’ll have more on what that means to the Patriots when we get to their section. The Crimson Knights had nearly a four-and-a-half point lead over Metuchen (19-2, 31.386) in second place in our last update two weeks ago, but that has shrunk to just 2.286. We’re still not sure the Bulldogs can make the jump from two to one, especially considering their GMC Tournament schedule. They’re the nine-seed, and open play Tuesday against 12-seed Timothy Christian (3-17). That won’t move the needle, and if they win, they get 8th-seed Old Bridge (7-14), not a big power point game even if they pull the upset. Should they advance to Saturday, and pull off the upset of the year over No. 1 St. Joseph-Metuchen, they might be able to do it, but boy, that’s a big ask. And Wall’s schedule isn’t exactly shabby. They open play as the two-seed in the Shore Conference Tournament Thursday against either 15th-seed Ocean Twp. (15-8) or 18-seed Colts Neck (11-9). Should they win that one, they would most likely get 7th-seed Manasquan (11-8).

From there, it’s all the way down to 12 for Spotswood (13-9, 21.761). They are almost assured of a bottom eight finish and an opening round game on the road, but they’re also not a bubble team. We think the Chargers are squarely in.

Not quite so for East Brunswick Magnet (10-12, 15.61), which sits in the 16th and final spot with a week to go. They will be hard pressed to move up to 15, where Governor Livingston (8-12, 18.321) sits, but could face a challenge at least from 17th-place Bordentown (7-12, 13.547). Others are likely too far back.

Central Jersey Group 1

A bunch of teams are bunched up here in the top four slots, but their movement might be a little limited. Thrive Charter (16-3, 30.331) is first, but it’s possible they may have to fend off Point Pleasant Beach (17-6, 28.349). Point beach may, in tunr, have to keep third-place Middlesex (14-7, 25.086) at bay, but the Jays won’t be able to get to No. 1. Likewise, they have fourth-place Shore (16-4, 24.346) nipping at their heels, while fifth-place Piscataway Magnet (17-4, 23.031) could have a crack at Middlesex, too. We think they’re safe from Manville (13-8, 20.281), which is in sixth – not 7th as shown in the standings – because the current 6th place team is Foundation Collegiate out of Trenton, which us undefeated, but has only played one game, 15 shy of the minimum to qualify.

But behind the Mustangs are a three teams that are close enough and could reach as high as sixth, so this is all too close to call as to who is going to make the top eight and earn at least one first round home game. Henry Hudson (15-6, 20.278) is in seventh, just 0.003 behind Manville, followed by South Amboy (14-5, 19.769) in eighth, and Bound Brook (15-8, 19.58) ninth. Only one of those three likely ends up outside the top eight, as Dunellen (11-12, 16.454) is probably too far back to catch any of them, sitting in 10th.

Near the bottom, Perth Amboy Magnet (8-10, 13.026) is on the right side of the bubble in 14th, potentially with a ceiling of 12, where they are just 1.005 points behind 12th place Keansburg, with South Hunterdon (8-12, 13.945) right in between them. Behind PA Magnet is New Providence (4-15, 12.877) in 15th and Central Jersey College Charter (6-10, 12.73) in 16th. But there are four teams within range behind them to look out for: Florence (7-12, 12.605, 17th), Keyport (10-10, 12.398, 18th), Brearley (6-11, 12.291, 19th), and Roselle Park (4-13, 12.269, 20th) all have a shot and are within 0.461 points of the top 16.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

Now 17-6 on the season, Piscataway (34.243) has surged to the top of a bunch that was tightly-packed two weeks ago, and remains so, just in different spots. Back then, it was Union, Bayonne, defending Group 4 state champion Plainfield, then the Chiefs. Those three are in the same order, just behind Piscataway. And they’ll all have big games coming up in county tournaments, too. But the Chiefs have more distance down to No. 2 where Union (17-3, 32.45) sits – 1.793 points – than separated all three teams ahead of them two weeks ago. Bayonne (18-5, 31.827) is in third, followed by the Cardinals (17-4, 31.376) and Linden (14-8, 31.198) in fifth.

Sixth-place Perth Amboy (20-4, 29.803) might have a ceiling of third-place, but it would be tough to jump all those teams. The most likely scenario is they end up outside the top four, but that would still give the Panthers – who are having a season for the ages around there, having won their first division title since 1993 – at least two guaranteed home games, should they win their opener.

Next, it’d down to 11 and 12 for Ridge (10-11, 22.487) and Bridgewater-Raritan (13-7). The Red Devils struggled early, dealing with injuries, but moved up two spots since our last update two weeks ago, when they were in 13th, while the Panthers have dropped five spots to 12. They had a brutal week right before our last check-in, but overall, are 3-7 since starting the year 10-0. Both should finish in the bottom eight. JP Stevens (10-12, 19.095) is all but assured of a spot, but even in 15th, there’s in a good place. The first team out, in 17th, is Phillipsburg (6-13, 16.289), a little under two points behind the Hawks, but based on their record, we don’t think they can move the needle enough to jump 16th-place Westfield (6-16) and JP Stevens. So, we think they’re safe.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

What a run by Colonia! The Patriots – who have won this section the last four years, and five out of the last six, making the title game each of those seasons – were sitting in eighth place two week ago. They were 7-8 then, are 14-8 now (32.079 points), and have stormed up to No. 2, no doubt helped by a 52-46 win at previously-unbeaten Wall Saturday. The Patriots are just 0.285 points out of first behind Millburn (18-4, 32.364). It’s now doable for Colonia thanks to their late-season rally.

South Plainfield (13-9, 23.942) dropped one spot in the last two weeks to sixth, and we think fifth might be their ceiling, not too far behind fifth-place Warren Hills (14-4, 26.644), but catching fourth-place Mendham (15-7, 26.946) – last year’s runner-up here – might be tough.

They might also have to look out for some teams behind them, including seventh-place Cranford (15-7, 24.859), Randolph (13-9, 24.72), and even ninth-place Somerville (14-7, 23.589). Right behind them is North Plainfield (12-11, 22.494), a potential threat to the Pioneers, but probably not to the Tigers. The ‘Ville and the Canucks may both have a shot at the top eight here, but Somerville is more likely.

Further down, JFK (11-12, 19.035) sits in 14th, and we think is pretty safe in terms of finishing in the Top 16. After Nutley (14-6, 18.225) behind them, Carteret (9-13, 17.44) is on the right side of the bubble, but has three teams behind them within one full point: Fort Lee (8-14, 16.674, 17th), Lincoln (10-10, 16.654, 18th), and North Hunterdon (7-12, 16.494, 19th).

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2

Bernards (8-12, 19.117) is the only CJSR team in this section, sitting in seventh, and likely a top eight finisher, whatever Weequahic (13-7, 18.947) does, with Voorhees (8-11, 15.659) a decent distance back. Newark Collegiate (15-6, 29.715) is in first here, followed by Ridgefield Park (17-4, 27.782).

Non-Public North B

Other than Gill St. Bernard’s (20-2, 40.058) in first, this section is a mish-mosh of some really good teams in the top four, and the rest of the way mostly sub-.500 squads. It’s rough after Morris Catholic (17-3, 34.268), second, Roselle Catholic (16-6, 33.965), St. Mary-Rutherford (20.3, 32.221) and Morristown-Beard (12-7, 25.486). There’s not another team over .500 in the bunch, including Timothy Christian (3-17, 11.403) in seventh and Wardlaw-Hartridge (4-11, 9.273) in 10th. Besides them, would Saddle River Day (1-20, 9.912) in eighth opt-out? Then, Golda Och (5-7) won’t and Franklin School (Jersey City) (3-8) may not reach the 16-game minimum. And Hawthorne Christian (0-17) probably is out. We could see five or six teams of the 15 not even play here.

Non-Public South A

The top few spots are not settled, but right now it’s Paul VI (18-3, 40.387), Christian Brothers (19-3, 39.08), and St. Peter’s Prep (18-3, 37.169) first through third. Immaculata (16-5, 31.236) checks in at five, and they could catch Red Bank Catholic (16-6, 32.793), as could St. Joseph-Metuchen (21-1, 30.646) in sixth. We don’t think they fall below that, so it’s the Caseys, Spartans and Falcons fighting for that fourth spot, 2.147 points between them.

Further down, Pingry (11-7, 24.221) sits in tenth, with a likely ceiling of eight, where there’s Union Catholic (10-10, 24.898), followed by St. Augustine (13-10, 24.631). There’s just 0.677 between them

St. Thomas Aquinas (9-13) is right behind the Big Blue, but they’re almost five full points behind, a big ask at this late date. We don’t anticipate any dropouts here in what is a 14-team field, giving the top two teams a bye.

Non-Public South B

Rutgers Prep (15-7, 33.94), the second-seed in the Somerset County Tournament is a pretty sure bet to hold on to the No. 1 seed here, though they may still need to beat third-seed Montgomery Saturday in the semifinals (10 am live on CJSR) to do it. Holy Spirit (17-5, 31.633) is in second, and Holy Cross Prep (17-4, 30.651) may be too far behind to catch them. After that – factoring in St. Joseph-Hammonton being disqualified due to an early-January benches-clearing brawl against LEAP Academy – it’s all the way down to Calvary Christian (6-13, 10.703) in 12th. Noor-ul-iman (6-7) may not reach the 16-game minimum, so we think this should, at best, be a 13-team field, with the top three getting byes.

by Mike Pavlichko

There’s one week to go before Saturday’s NJSIAA cutoff: Where do GMC, Somerset girls’ basketball teams stand in the playoff chase?

The NJSIAA Cutoff for games to count toward playoff contention is this Saturday, a busy day for the county tournaments in our area, as Somerset County holds its semifinals at Franklin, while the GMC Tournament will be in the quarterfinal round, with all games at higher seeds this year rather that neutral sites as in the past.

All games up to an including Saturday will count, and the top 16 power point values will figure into each team’s ranking. Power points is a mixture of quality points, residuals, and the OOWP, Opponents’ Opponent Winning Percentage, a strength factor of sorts. Keep in mind, power points are an average, not a cumulative total, and as games are played, lower scores will drop off.

In that way, it’s possible that a loss won’t necessarily lower a team’s average. For example, if a team loses to a six-win team, and that’s their lowest score, it just won’t count toward the average. And if a team wins a big game, they may not necessarily gain that many points. Rather, they would gain the difference between that game, and a lower score that dropped off.

With that said, this will be our final full look at power points before the cutoff. We’ll take a look at the standings after Saturday and give our projections on Sunday, with the NJSIAA announcing the seeds and brackets next Tuesday. We’ll have those as well once they become official.

On to the breakdown! All analysis is based on NJSIAA power points as reported on NJ.com as of noon on February 8, 2026. Click the header on each section to go to the page for that section.

Central Jersey Group 4

Defending champion Hillsborough (15-5) has fallen to third, after going 1-3 since our last update two weeks ago, with losses to Bernards, Rutgers Prep and then Bound Brook Saturday in the Somerset County Tournament quarterfinals. The new No. 1 here is Franklin (13-7, 29.69), just a tiny bit ahead of East Brunswick (18-4, 29.494) in second. And the Raiders (15-5, 28.905) are not that far back. It should be noted that Franklin crushed the Raiders 72-44 on January 16th, even though they didn’t jump ‘Boro until now, while East Brunswick lost at Hillsborough, 70-52, back on January 22nd, in a game aired on Central Jersey Sports Radio. But, unlike football, head-to-head only matters if teams are tied, and that’s very rare with this power point system, which uses averages and rounds to three decimal points entirely for the purpose of avoiding ties. They happen, but not much. There might also be Hunterdon Central (14-7, 27.637) to worry about, but that’s likely it. The Red Devils may not be able to reach the top spot, but a lot can happen in any order. Hillsborough will have a little more flexibility than Franklin or East Brunswick in scheduling this week since they’re out of the county tournament. According to their online schedule, they have one game scheduled this week, Thursday at Morris Knolls (8-12). East Brunswick is locked in to the GMC Tournament first round on Wednesday, where they’ll play either 15-seed Carteret (13-8) or 18th-seed North Brunswick (4-18), then would be most likely to face 7th-seed Monroe (8-10) Saturday at home in the quarterfinals. As for the Warriors, they have Montgomery (10-9) at home Monday, then Mount St. Mary (7-11) on Wednesday before playing two-seed and defending champion Gill St. Bernard’s (17-4) Saturday in the SCT quarterfinals. The closest thing to a sure thing here is to say it’ll be a CJSR-area team starting the playoffs as a top-seed here.

Further down the list is New Brunswick (11-9, 19.914) sitting in eighth place. The goal is a top eight seed to earn a home game, and this one is very much up in the air. The Zebras’ likely ceiling here is seven, a spot currently held by Marlboro (13-7, 20.065). But there are three teams packed tightly behind them, and our take is that these five could end up in any order, all separated by just 0.716 points. That includes Freehold Twp. (10-10, 19.91, just 0.004 behind New Brunswick), Sayreville (16-4, 19.352) in tenth and Montgomery (10-9, 19.349) in eleventh. Any of these five, we believe, could finish in the top eight, but it’s likely only two of them will.

Down near the bottom of the top 16, we have Old Bridge (8-12, 16.181) and Monroe (8-10, 16.172) in 14th and 15th place, respectively. To us, they’re still on the bubble, but at least on the right side. Ahead of then, 13th place West Windsor-Plainsboro South (12-10, 16.216) is likely in that same situation. Behind them is Hightstown (9-12, 16.132), then Manalapan (12-7, 15.225) at 17 on the wrong side of the bubble, but less than one full point out of a playoff spot. That appears to be the group of five teams fighting for the last four playoff spots. Edison (6-15, 13.127) is in 18th, but they might be too far back to make it in one week, unless they can make a run in the GMC Tournament. The 11th-seed, the Eagles open up play on Monday against 22-seed JFK (6-18), and would likely face 6th-seed Woodbridge (15-6) on Wednesday in the second round, should they advance. Edison lost to the Barrons in their own Gene Haley/Jim Muldowney Memorial Holiday Classic, 70-54, after Christmas, but consider this: That was loss No. 6 in a stretch where they started the season 0-11, but they are 6-4 since, even avenging an earlier season loss to Old Bridge.

Central Jersey Group 2

Manasquan and Rumson-Fair Haven are the pretty clear-cut top two seeds at this point, but South River (18-5, 26.785) is in the mix for the No. 3 seed, despite sitting in fourth behind Johnson (17-2, 27.758), albeit less than one full point behind. Two weeks ago, we figured the Rams could pull up, and they did, gaining three spots in that span. We think they will end up three or four, as fifth-place Bordentown (14-2, 23.813) is nearly three full points behind, a lot of ground to make up this late in the game. Of course, it’s a little bit of “pick your poison” for the Rams, as ‘Squan (No. 9 in New Jersey) and Rumson are very strong teams. South River is locked into the GMC Tournament, at least for now. The 21st seed, they stomped 28-seed Wardlaw-Hartridge Saturday in the play-in round, and will visit 12-seed South Plainfield (7-16) Monday in the preliminary round. If they advance, they will probably lose some regular season games scheduled for this week, including Thursday against East Brunswick Magnet (8-10) and Friday against Edison (6-15). The Rams, at the very least, have a shot at the three, but probably finish no lower than four, giving them home court advantage at least through the sectional quarterfinals.

Piscataway Magnet (17-3, 23.623) sits in sixth place at the moment, 0.19 behind fifth-place Bordentown (14-2, 23.813) and barely ahead of seventh-place Point Pleasant Boro (11-9, 23.521). Those three are likely all jockeying for position among themselves, and could end up in any order, with just 0.292 points separating them, but more distance between the teams above and below them.

That would also leave Spotswood (13-9, 20.867) hoping to fend off some teams behind them to hold on to the 8th spot, a top eight finish, and at least one first round home game. The Chargers may not be able to catch Point Pleasant Boro, unless they were to win their first-round GMC Tournament game on Wednesday (they’re a five-seed, and could host 12-seed South Plainfield or 21-seed and arch-rival South River) and then knock off fourth-seed Colonia (16-2), their likely quarterfinal opponent – again, if they get there. There are probably three teams within reach of them, starting with Delaware Valley (10-10) in ninth, Delran (11-8, 20.123) in tenth, and Governor Livingston (8-11, 19.316) in eleventh.

Despite Metuchen (9-10, 15.251) being in 15th, looks like it should be in. That’s because the next team behind them, East Brunswick Magnet (8-10, 11.775) is 3.476 points back, a lot to make up. Then again, teams with fewer wins have more to gain with wins compared to those who have a lot. Still, we think the Bulldogs are in, but the Tigers are squarely on the bubble, even though it’s the right side of it. They have two teams behind them to fend off: Ocean Twp. (7-15, 11.501) and Monmouth (5-12, 10.385). We say the odds are likely better than half, maybe closer to two-thirds that Magnet makes it. The last two teams, Raritan (1-16) and Roselle (0-3) won’t factor in here.

Central Jersey Group 1

The gap has narrowed, but the top two teams remain in the same positions they were a week ago: New Providence (19-1, 34.749) first and Bound Brook (20-1, 33.35) in second. The top seed may not be out of the question for Bound Brook, and it would certainly help if the Crusaders, who are the fourth-seed in the Somerset County Tournament, could knock off top-seed Rutgers Prep (18-2) in Saturday’s semifinals (noon on CJSR). According to their online schedule, they have no other games this week, but that could change. The Pioneers only have Oak Knoll (10-8) scheduled this week, Monday at 5:30, so they could add some games as well.

South Amboy (15-5, 23.03) sits in fifth, but they might have a shot at a top four-seed. They’d have to catch Brearley (13-3, 24.172) ahead of them in fourth, and/or Roselle Park (14-5, 24.557) in third. The Lady Guvs are the 25th-seed in the GMC Tournament, and are locked in with the preliminary round Monday, where they visit 9th-seed Old Bridge (8-12), but remember, group points no longer count, so the Knights being a Group 4 school with South Amboy is in Group 1 doesn’t help them any. Then again, The Guvs could also fall back. Keansburg (17-0, 22.143) is not far back at six, nor is Shore (13-9, 21.992, 7th).

Middlesex (12-8, 19.886) and Manville (13-6, 19.362) sit in ninth and tenth, respectively, but they could have a shot at a top eight seed, and maybe both could get in. Thrive Charter (8-10, 20.789) is not that far ahead in eighth, and Shore might be reachable, too. But it’s likely niether falls lower than ten, as 11th-place Florence (9-9, 13.777) is more than five points back, an enormous hill.

The best Highland Park (7-15, 12.979) and College Achieve Central (7-8, 11.9) could do, in that case, is 11th, if they catch Florence, as the Owls and College Achieve sit 12th and 13th at the moment. There are also some tightly-packed teams behind them, including Henry Hudson (7-12, 10.579, 14th), Perth Amboy Magnet (4-10, 10.307) and Dunellen (3-18, 10.042), who could move up, but the Patriots and Destroyers are well on the proverbial bubble. A win by anyone behind them could make a bug jump since they have few wins; that includes Dayton (2-15, 9.978), Empowerment Academy Charter (2-7-1, 9.376), Point Pleasant Beach (3-18, 9.164) and South Hunterdon (2-17, 9.136).

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

It’s likely going to be between Bayonne (18-3, 31.936) and Westfield (15-6, 30.506) at the top, then it’s down to Piscataway (12-6, 23.36) and Woodbridge (15-6, 20.914) at six and seven. Just like a couple of weeks ago, we think the Chiefs still could max out around No. 3, a spot currently held by Plainfield (11-10, 24.452), which is just 1.092 points ahead, with Columbia (14-6, 24.437) and Elizabeth (13-7, 23.528) ahead of them. A top four finish is within reach for them, but probably not Woodbridge, which is one spot behind, but with a big gap. And the Barrons will have to watch teams behind the, all in close proximity. That includes North Star Academy (10-11, 21.149, 8th), Watchung Hills (8-11, 20.146, 9th) and Bridgewater-Raritan (10-11, 19.836, 10th). Any of those could finish in the top eight, and a lot could change this week. It’s just too close to call for that group.

Further down, we’ve got Ridge (7-12, 14.618) at 14, followed by Perth Amboy (10-7, 14.506) at 15, and JP Stevens (8-11, 13.583). They are all on the right side of the bubble, but they are indeed on it. The next two teams might have a shot, but they’re we think only one of them has a chance to crack the top 16. That’s Newark East Side (7-8, 13.495), which is just a game below the .500 mark. Even though Phillipsburg is about 1.2 points out of 16th – generally not a terribly wide gap – they are only 3-14 (12.315). They have three games this week: Monday at Voorhees (13-5), Thursday against Cherry Hill East (11-11) and Friday against Mount Olive (4-16). The chances they win the first two are slim, and a win in the last of those may not be enough to move the needle. All that needs to be figured out to say Ridge is the safest, and we think the last two spots will come down to Perth Amboy, JP Stevens and East Side.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

Colonia (16-2, 26.653) had a lead of 4.741 power points two weeks ago. But they were undefeated at the time, and have since gone 2-2. That, and a surge by Somerville (17-5, 29.004) – which went 5-1 in that same span, from 12-4 to 17-5 – has put the Pioneers on top by 2.351 points, a more than seven-point swing. Somerville’s time in the Somerset County Tournament ended Saturday with a loss by the eighth-seeded Pioneers to nine-seed Watchung Hills, and they have two regular season games this week against pretty good competition: at Bernards (17-3) Tuesday and at home against Voorhees (13-5) Thursday. They could even pick up another if they think they need it Friday or Saturday. Colonia, meanwhile, is locked into the GMC Tournament, where they are the 4th-seed and open play Wednesday in the first round against either 13-seed JP Stevens (8-11) or 20th-seed Highland Park (7-15). Our thinking here is that the top seed is in Somerville’s hands. It’s possible a win at Bernards Tuesday night could clinch it, although the Mountaineers also are playing to hold on to the No. 2 seed in North 2, Group 2. Colonia also could have to watch two teams behind them – Cranford (11-11, 24.717, 3rd) and Chatham (10-11, 24.365, 4th) – and that could come right down to the wire.

The next team from the CJSR area down the list is Carteret (13-8, 17,634). The Ramblers are in ninth, less than two points behind eighth-place Summit (19.464). That’s likely the only team within Carteret’s reach, since they are 15 in the GMCT and will open Monday against 18-seed North Brunswick (4-18), which isn’t likely to help them much, if at all. And if they do advance, they get second-seed East Brunswick, which is 18-4 and in contention for a top seed in Central Jersey Group 4. All that being said, never say never, but it’s highly likely the Ramblers don’t crack the top eight.

South Plainfield (7-16, 15.177) also is in a kind of n-man’s land. We think they’re fairly solidly in, even though it’s not a lock, as just about everything would have to go wrong for them to miss. It’s more tentative for 14th-place North Plainfield (4-15, 13.863) and 16th-place JFK (6-18, 13.495), with Newark’s Payne Tech (4-16, 13.604) in between them. While all are on the right side of the bubble, the biggest likely threats come from Randolph (6-12, 12.44), Rahway (4-14, 12.328) and even Warren Hills (2-17, 12.054) at 19, because at this stage of the game, just one win could be enormous when you only have two. Granted, the Blue Streaks have lost 13 straight, but if they can upset North Hunterdon (9-11) at home on senior night, that could be enough to drop JFK out for the time being. The Mustangs are the 22-seed in the GMCT and have 11-seed Edison (6-15) Monday, and if they win that one, visit No. 6 Woodbridge (15-6) Wednesday.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2

Not much change from last time, Bernards (17-3, 32.985) is still well behind first-place Caldwell (18-0, 38.284), but has expanded its lead over the team behind them, now Madison (16-3, 29.652). We think the Mountaineers are likely a two-seed, but they have a big one with Somerville (17-5) Tuesday at home, with the Pioneers playing to hold on to the top-seed in NOrth 2, Group 3.

Non-Public North A

The only area team here is Pingry (11-8, 23.702), and the Big Blue currently sit in 6th in what should be a 15-team field (all 15 in the section should make it) with Morris Catholic (16-5, 35.902) nearly three-points ahead of Immaculate Heart (16-3, 32.219) for the top-seed and an opening round bye.

Non-Public North B

Gill St. Bernard’s (17-4, 36.069) is the only CJSR-area team in the group, and they are in first-place by a wide-margin. They’ll hold on to it, and this should be an 11-team section, taking out those who don’t meet the 16-game minimum requirement.

Non-Public South A

As it was two weeks ago, it’s still between Red Bank Catholic (21-2, 47.621) and St. John Vianney (20-2, 44.071) for the top two seeds, even though the Caseys have a sizable lead this late in the game. Currently, St. Thomas Aquinas (17-5, 32.676) is in fourth, though they might have a crack at the No. 3 spot, currently held by Paul VI (16-1, 34.883). RBC has a home GMC crossover with Piscataway (12-6) Monday, and they will open Shore Conference Tournament play as the top-seed in the Round of 16 against either 17-seed Marlboro or 16-seed Point Pleasant Boro. Vianney won’t play again until that same round Thursday – unless they pick up another game in the meantime – when the two-seed faces either 18-seed Shore or 15th-seed Toms River South. Aquinas, however, also will have to watch teams right behind them, like Camden Catholic (16-4, 31.783) less than one full point behind, as well as Bishop Eustace (13-8, 30.989) in sixth and Trinity Hall (16-6, 30.471) in seventh. Further down, we have Immaculata (8-11, 17.154) in 14th out of 15th. All 15 will make it here, as it’s likely no one will drop out. The Spartans likely have a ceiling of 12 in this section.

Non-Public South B

Rutgers Prep (18-2, 38.04) has a decent lead here over Gloucester Catholic (17-3, 36.199), but not insurmountable. They have three more games this week: Tuesday at Montgomery (10-9), Thursday at Pingry (11-8), and Saturday – as the top-seed – in the Somerset County Tournament quarterfinals against 4th-seed Bound Brook (20-1), which you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio. While the Argonauts should win the first two, they will be favored in the last of those, despite the Crusader’s record, simply by virtue of them getting the top-seed and Bound Brook the fourth. But make no mistake, a loss there – or in any of the three, really – could cost Prep. Not that it might matter much; unlike in the public sections, non-public finals are at neutral sites, so the only difference here might be what color jersey Rutgers Prep will wear if they make it to the finals at Jackson Liberty, where they lost last year to Gloucester Catholic in the title game.

Elsewhere, there are 15 teams in the section, but it’s likely some could opt out. For example, Timothy Christian has only played six games, lost them all, and opted out of the GMC Tournament. St. Joseph-Hammonton is 0-10 and Noor ul-iman is 1-6; both will be out because they haven’t played the minimum 16 to qualify per NJSIAA rule, which would leave this as a 12-team section, with the top four – including Prep getting byes. What does that mean for Calvary Christian (7-9, 12.305) in tenth and Wardlaw-Hartridge (5-11, 10.233) in 12th? Likely, Wardlaw finishes as the 12-seed, but Calvary could bounce up or down. They have Holy Cross Prep (9-11, 13.204) less than a point aheead of them in ninth and Doane Academy (9-9, 13.209) in 8th. Calvary got knocked out of the GMC Tournament Saturday in the play-in round by JFK, but they have two regular season games scheduled this week, both on the road: Highland Park (7-15) Thursday and Manville (13-6) Friday. If they could grab those, they might get to the top eight and get a first-round home game. More likely they split, and we think they could finish as high as nine, but they could drop with two losses.

by Mike Pavlichko

NJSIAA saying so long to Veterans Park for state baseball championships, heading to Rutgers, per report

As George Carlin once said, when comparing baseball and football in a legendary bit, “Baseball is played in a park. The baseball park!”

But starting this season, as first reported by P.J. Potter of NJ Advance Media, the NJSIAA is leaving the park – Veterans Park in Hamilton, specifically – and taking its state baseball championships up the Turnpike, off Exit 9, to the Livingston Campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway, where Bainton Field will be the new home of the six non-public and public school title games played in June.

Bainton Field, the home of the Scarlet Knights, is in the midst of a huge renovation project this off-season. Past years brought in a turf field, flashy video board, and lights.

Original rendering of Bainton Field improvements in recent years, which saw the Rutgers baseball facility get lights for night games and a splashy video board. (Photo courtesy Rutgers Athletics)

The current project improves seating, and raises the press box from ground level – directly behind the backstop – to the top of the bleachers behind home plate, with room for media, a broadcast booth, and ancillary broadcast locations on either side, covered with a roof to protect from the elements. The new setup is expected to have seating for 1,300 fans.

Potter writes that NJSIAA Baseball Director Tony Maselli calls it “a natural fit,” adding “I think we outgrew Veterans Park, but we have nothing but positive things to say about the facility.”

It was indeed a great atmosphere. Baseball in a huge park, with people running, walking dogs, or playing other sports. Food trucks would line the parking lot, and people could roam in and out of the stands as they wished. The sightlines were great, too, with a scoreboard that included a full line score, and even a pitch count tracker.

NJSIAA officials decide whether or not to give it a go in the Group 1 state final at Veterans Park between Middlesex and Midland Park on June 14, 2025. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

But in recent years, as attendance grew, parking became an issue, even for those who had paid in advance. There have been issues with games running too late at night – and running into Hamilton Township curfews. And rain could be an issue, too, on the natural grass field, as it was for Middlesex this past year, which only got one half inning of their Group 1 final in against Midland Park on a Saturday afternoon before it had to be finished two days later up in Bergen County.

Cell service also has been a problem. It delayed some fans from entering last year when their pre-paid parking couldn’t always be digitally verified on devices that couldn’t pick up a cell signal, and it even made broadcasting from Bob DeMeo Field a challenge, with several nearly-dead cell zones.

Potter’s report says all games will be free for the public to attend, and the NJSIAA will not be selling tickets. There was no mention of whether there would be a fee for parking.

Middlesex College in Edison also is building a brand new, $70 million baseball stadium, expected to be ready this September, with plenty of time to spare, in time for the 2027 Colts’ season. It’s likely the Greater Middlesex Conference could end up playing its semifinals and finals there – since it’s a county-operated facility – but it could also be an option for the NJSIAA for future events.

But the state shouldn’t run into any conflicts with Rutgers baseball. Typically, the Big Ten Tournament is held in Omaha in late May, while the NJSIAA finals are in early June, meaning the Scarlet Knights’ home season is done almost a month earlier. But even if Rutgers advanced to the NCAA Tournament and made a deep run, the team has an indoor practice facility on campus between Bainton and Jersey Mike’s Arena, home of the basketball and wrestling teams.

by Mike Pavlichko

Deep-dive Boys’ basketball Power Point Breakdown: East Brunswick, Rutgers Prep, Gill St. Bernard’s occupy top spots, with a lot of basketball still to be played, and others still in the mix

The NJSIAA Cutoff Date for the high school basketball state playoffs is just three weeks away, and this is the time teams are making a move in the standings.

But it’s not just teams looking to move up, get off the bubble, or earn a top seed or a first round home game. There could be some big changes now with a new NJSIAA tweak to this year’s power point system, although it’s really a slight return to the old formula.

Last year, the new power point formula counted every game, but this year, only the top 16 count. Some teams have played more, some less, and some have just gotten to 16. What that means is that for a team with just a couple of losses, those (or wins against weak opponents) will drop off, and teams could see a boost from that alone.

For example: If a team’s power point average is 20 and they’ve played 16 games, that’s a total of 320 divided by 16. But if that team’s lowest score is 9 power points, and they beat an opponent worth 20, they’d now have 340 points in 17 games. Dropping the 9 would give them 331 points in 16 games, for an average of 20.688. Thus, a team could gain, even though they beat a team worth right around their average.

So, let’s get to the breakdown, section by section for each group with a team from the GMC or Somerset County. Analysis is based on official state power point standings posted on NJ.com as of 10 am on January 25, 2026, which includes games through Saturday. Click on the header for each section to go to the NJ.com page for that section.

Central Jersey Group 4

There’s a one-two combo at the top who have been very good this year: upstart East Brunswick (15-3, 27.838) with a senior laden team that has been building to this moment the past few years, and two-time defending champion Montgomery (14-3, 27.489). They’re separated by just .349 points, and one game win the win column, as close as you can get. A shade more than a point behind them is Marlboro (12-3, 26.414) and then Hillsborough (11-4, 24.309) all in the mix here. This should very much come down to the wire. The Cougars’ biggest potential prizes down the stretch are games at home with Pinrgy Tuesday (weather permitting) and at Bridgewater-Raritan on Thursday. East Brunswick draws Piscataway on Thursday. This is one of the races we’ll be watching closely down the stretch.

Down at seven is Sayreville (12-6, 22.219), inside the top eight bubble, while after Freehold Twp. (9-6, 20.998) there’s Franklin (8-9, 18.423) and Edison (9-7, 18.409) in ninth and tenth. If the Warriors and Eagles can string some wins together, they could very well make a move up, especially as some of their lower level power point games get struck from their charts.

South Brunswick (9-6, 16.391) sits in 13th, a good bet to get in, with probably only one team outside the top 16 likely to get in; a lot of schools would have to pass the Vikings. Less sure is the status of North Brunswick (5-11, 13.462) in 15th and Old Bridge (4-12, 12.919) in 16th, with Manalapan (5-9, 12.833) close behind, but after that, a bunch of four- and three-win teams are longshots, including New Brunswick and Monroe, both 3-12.

Central Jersey Group 2

Metuchen is having a fine year, 14-2 now after starting the season 11-0. While the dropped a pair to much bigger schools in Old Bridge and Edison, they’ve bounced back with three straight wins, and find themselves in second place in the section at 27.072 power points, but it’s probably unlikely they’ll catch first-place Wall, which is 13-0 with a 31.552 average; four-plus points is a lot to make up, especially with Wall still having three games to play to get to 16 before the lower value games start coming off and they get a boost. The Bulldogs are already there.

The next team from the CJSR coverage area is Spotswood. The Chargers are 9-7 (17.387), and have a significant lead over 17th-place Willingboro (4-9, 11.298), so it’s likely Spotswood makes the playoffs; it’s just a matter of where.

Meanwhile, East Brunswick Magnet (7-10, 11.298) sits in 18th, two spots out of the playoff picture, but less than a point behind Bordentown. It’s doable for the Tigers, if they can go on a late-season run, but it might depend on their strength of schedule.

Central Jersey Group 1

Thrive Charter (12-2, 25.912) leads the pack, a point-and-a-half or so ahead of Pt. Pleasant Beach (14-3, 24.485). Then, there’s Middlesex (11-5) in third, but not too far back at 22.62 power points. Piscataway Magnet (15-3, 22.387) sits in fourth, so it’s a tight bunch there – just 3.525 points separates the entire bunch. A lot can happen here, as these teams might end up in any combination.

Further down is a stretch of five local teams in six spots, all tightly-packed. That includes Manville (10-6, 17.839) in seventh, followed by South Amboy (12-4, 17.786), Bound Brook (12-5, 15.867), Henry Hudson (10-5, 14.331), Dunellen (8-9, 13.711) and Perth Amboy Magnet (7-6, 12.378) in 12th. We think the Governors and Crusaders have a shot at a top eight finish, but it might be a big ask for Dunellen to make up around a four-point difference, Perth Amboy Magnet even moreso.

Central Jersey College Charter (5-9, 12.177) sits in 15th, but there are five teams behind them in striking distance within two points, so nothing is a lock there.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

The top three are all packed in tightly here, and all from out of the area: Union (14-1, 28.931) first, followed by Bayonne (14-3, 28.545) and Plainfield (15-1, 29.494). The first CJSR team here is Piscataway (12-5, 26.3), which is just a shade ahead of Linden (11-5, 26.179), which has beaten three of the top teams in Somerset County: Rutgers Prep, Gill St. Bernard’s and Montgomery, with the Cougars coming closest of all – within two points back on January third, 53-51.

Right behind Linden is Perth Amboy (15-3, 24.743), which Saturday clinched the White American Division title, its first division crown since 1993. Bridgewater-Raritan (11-4, 19.786) started the year 8-0, but has lost four of seven since, albeit to some strong teams in Immaculata, Rutgers Prep, Gill St. Bernard’s and Hillsborough. The remaining schedule is not easy, but manageable.

Then it’s down to JP Stevens (9-8, 17.421) an 13th and Ridge (6-10, 16.135) in 14th. Neither can be assured of anything, although they should be bottom eight teams, with about 2-3 points separating them from an out-of-the-running finish.

Woodbridge (4-10, 14.752) is in 18th, but not far out of the field, just .714 behind 16th place Westfield (4-12). If the Barrons can pick up some wins, they’ll make themselves a playoff team. It’s there for the taking.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

Millburn (14-2, 23.982) and Warren Hills (11-2, 23.855) are at the top of the pack, and then it’s down to five and six for a pair of CJSR-area teams: South Plainfield (10-7, 20.484) followed by Somerville (11-5, 19.568). Both are within striking distance of at least the third- and fourth-place teams, Chatham (10-4, 20.945) and Randolph (11-6, 20.535).

In the past several years, this section has belonged to Colonia, which has won the last five sectional titles. But right now, the Patriots – who lost a ton to graduation and for other reasons – are sitting at No. 8 (7-8, 19.121). They’ve been improving, so a late run could not only keep them in the top eight, but maybe move them up. Even a top four finish is not out of the question, as they’re just 1.414 points behind Randolph, and almost two points out of third. Don’t count them out!

North Plainfield (8-9, 18.22) checks in at No. 9, and could easily move up with a late season run, gaining a top eight seed and a first round home game.

Down at 16, JFK (8-9, 14.027) is at least on the right side of the bubble, and could move up, but they may also have some teams to fend off behind them, including North Hunterdon (4-9, 14.003, 17th) and Carteret (5-12, 11.267).

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2

Newark Collegiate (12-3, 25.838) has a nice three-point lead over Caldwell (12-2, 22.761) for first in the section, while the only area team here is Bernards (7-9), which is at 15.841 power points. The Mountaineers are in seventh, with a strong schedule, and we think a good bet to finish in the top eight.

Non-Public North B

Everyone makes it in this field, but there could be some from out of the area who opt out. Regardless, Gill St. Bernard’s (15-2) has a stranglehold on the top spot, at 15-2 with 33.239 power points, while second-place Morris Catholic (13-3, 27.277) is almost six full points behind, a lot of ground to make up. The next team from the area is Timothy Christian (8.738), which is just 2-12 but sitting at No. 8. Wardlaw-Hartridge (2-7, 7.104) is in 12th. Faced with playing a Gill-like team in the opening round however, either could bow out. Teams like Saddle River Day (0-16), Koinonia (3-10), Hawthorne Christian (0-14) and Franklin School (0-8) in Jersey City also could skip, but if a few stay in, those lower teams could at least get a first round playoff game against each other, if teams like Gill, Morris Catholic (2nd), St. Mary-Rutherford (3rd) and Morristown-Beard (4th), all with double-digit wins, get byes.

Non-Public South A

The top three here are all packed in tight, with St. Peter’s Prep (13-3, 32.209), Christian Brothers (14-3, 31.618), and Paul VI (12-3, 30.792) sitting at one, two, and three. Three points back is Immaculata (12-3, 27.323), then after Red Bank Catholic (12-4, 26.774), there’s undefeated and rejuvenated St. Joseph-Metuchen at 16-0. The Falcons’ schedule is a bit on the weaker side compared to the others, as out-of-state teams are only assigned a .500 win percentage, and they have five such games on their schedule. However, they appear not to have updated the records of those teams as far as residuals, so they may end up higher simply by fixing that. Stay tuned, as they say.

Pingry sits right behind them for now at No. 7, with an 11-4 record (24.695), and then St. Thomas Aquinas (7-8, 17.476) occupies tenth-place in this 14-team field where everyone should be in. In this case, the top two seeds would get byes, but the goal is still a top eight finish. The Big Blue are on the right side of that bubble, but Aquinas is nearly four points behind eighth-place Camden Catholic (10-5, 21.164) and may need to make a run.

Non-Public South B

Rutgers Prep (11-6, 27.814) leads the pack here, and has a decent lead at the moment over Holy Cross Prep (12-3, 24.124). IT could come down to those two, depending how they finish out the season. The Argos meet Gill again in a one-off on February second, despite the general Skyland scheduling this year not including home-and-homes this year, in favor of more crossovers between the two big-school divisions, and the two smaller-school groups.

Calvary Christian (4-9, 7.949) sits in 12th in this 14-team bracket, and should end up in the bottom half.

by Mike Pavlichko

Deep-dive Girls’ Basketball Power Point Breakdown: Hillsborough, Colonia, Gill St. Bernard’s in good standing for top seeds – with Rutgers Prep in contention – just three weeks from the Cutoff

We are three weeks out from the NJSIAA Cutoff Date for the playoffs in high school basketball, and we’re at a critical part of the season in terms of the playoff standings.

Not only is it crunch time – for those close to earning top seeds, or those sitting outside the bubble and trying to get in – but the numbers could see some big shifts right around now.

Last year, the new power point formula counted all games, but this year, only the top 16 count. Some teams have played more, some less, and some have just gotten to 16. What that means is that for a team with just a couple of losses, those (or wins against weak opponents) will drop off, and teams could see a boost from that alone.

For example: If a team’s power point average is 20 and they’ve played 16 games, that’s a total of 320 divided by 16. But if that team’s lowest score is 9 power points, and they beat an opponent worth 20, they’d now have 340 points in 17 games. Dropping the 9 would give them 331 points in 16 games, for an average of 20.688. Thus, a team could gain, even though they beat a team worth right around their average.

So, let’s get to the breakdown, section by section for each group with a team from the GMC or Somerset County. Analysis is based on official state power point standings posted on NJ.com as of 10 am on January 25, 2026, which includes games through Saturday. Click on the header for each section to go to the NJ.com page for that section.

Central Jersey Group 4

What a year Hillsborough is having. We got our first look at them Thursday night, in a 70-52 home win over East Brunswick, and the Lady Raiders looked crisp with their passing, pesky in their defense, and not like a team that graduated nearly 4,000 career points from a season ago. With a 14-2 record, they sit atop Central Jersey Group 4, and have a lead of nearly five full power points over second-place Princeton. And with only the best 16 games counting toward power points, additional wins would drop the nine points from a Franklin loss and a Phillipsburg win off the schedule, and boost them even more. The Raiders – who’ve won sectional titles each of the last two seasons – in North 2, Group 4 in 2024 and this section last year – are in really good shape here to hold on to the top seed if they keep playing the way they’re playing, and they should.

After Princeton (12-3, 20.914) and Hunterdon Central (8-7, 20.654), there’s Franklin (10-6, 20/275) in fourth and East Brunswick (13-4, 20.149) in fifth. These four are bunched in tightly – all within 0.8 of each other – and with three weeks to go, any one of them could finish in the top two, which would guarantee home court advantage at least through the sectional semifinals.

In sixth – but a few points behind – is Sayreville (11-3, 17.95), and they could still have a shot at a top four seed, by our account. The Bombers have won four straight. Woodbridge and Brearley are key games down the stretch, and other wins against moderately good teams could drop some lower values off their chart.

In the middle of the pack are Montgomery (7-6, 16.193, 8th) and New Brunswick (9-6, 15.128, 9th). They both could end up on either end of that marker, where the top eight get to host at least an opening round game. It’s a tight field behind and ahead of them as well, so a lot can happen over the next three weeks.

Further down, we call Monroe a bubble team at 5-8, in 14th, with a 13.465 power point average. On the one hand, they’re well under a point away from 10th place Freehold Twp. (7-8, 14.262), but they’re also around a point-and-a-half behind 17th place Trenton (5-9). It’s likely they’ll get in, but a signature win over someone like a Spotswood or undefeated Colonia would be a big boost.

Old Bridge also is a bubble team at 16, with a 6-9 record and 13.178 points. They’re mere fractions behind Monroe as well, but have lost six of their last eight. They’ll need some wins down the stretch – and have a Jan. 31 date at Monroe – while a road game at Bound Brook on Feb. 3 would be a big boost as well. The Knights have some opportunities.

And even Edison (4-12, 10.275, 18th) has a shot, less than two power points behind Old Bridge. Remember, teams with only a handful of wins can make major gains with an additional wins (think: a fifth win increases the win total by 25 percent, where as a win by a ten-win team increases the win total by just 10 percent).

Central Jersey Group 2

Manasquan is the leader of the pack here, at 14-2, with 30.476 power points, a little more than three ahead of second-place Rumson-Fair Haven (14-3, 27.105).

The highest-ranked team here from the CJSR coverage area is Piscataway Magnet (14-1, 19.443, 5th). They’re about six points behind fourth place Johnson, but just .508 behind fourth-place Bordentown (10-1). We think they could reach that, but most likely top out there. South River is right behind at 14-3 (18.856), and they might have a shot at a top four seed against the other two if some losses drop off the slate for the Rams.

In the middle of the pack is Spotswood (10-7, 16.232), the lowest-rated double-digit win team. But here’s a perfect example why the new “best 16” rule was brought back: to reward teams that played a tough schedule, but not hurting them for “bad” wins outside their control (i.e., conference, division schedules). Now at 17 games, a 5-point win over Cheltenham (PA) before Christmas dropped off the board after they beat South Brunswick, a 9.472-point win. That means they gained 4.472 points with that win over the Vikings. Another good win would drop a victory in the 7-point range off the map, and they have the chance to do that. Of the last five scheduled games they have, three (West Windsor-Plainsboro South, East Brunswick and Somerville) all are potential big gainers, as they all have double-digit wins. Even losses might bounce lesser games off the schedule. Good chance Spotswood could move up even if they take one of those three. Monroe and Bridgewater-Raritan are no slouches either, by the way.

It’s all the way down to 14th for Metuchen (6-8, 12.924) and East Brunswick Magnet (6-6, 11.525, 16th). We’d loosely call the Bulldogs a bubble team. There are only 20 teams here, and most likely 18 who are realistic shots to make it, so we think the Bulldogs – while they’re far from wrapping up anything yet – are going to make it. The Tigers have a good shot as well.

Central Jersey Group 1

The “best 16” rule effect will come into play soon here at the top, where Nos. 1 and 2 both are 15-1, and about to play their 17th games this week. New Providence is first (29.459), followed by Bound Brook (26.903). That’s about a two-and-a-half point gap, and not impossible to make up. The Crusaders have weaker low-end scores than the Pioneers, so that could be a factor here. The biggest opportunity here will be a Valentine’s Day clash when Bernards (13-1) visits The Brook. Otherwise, the upcoming schedule isn’t spectacular.

Fairly in the top eight is South Amboy at 11-3, sixth-place with 17.398 power points. The Governors look like they’re in a good place at the moment, but likely will need to keep winning significantly to stay there. After Thrive Charter in seventh (6-7, 17.019), the border for the top eight has Middlesex (9-7, 16.497) in 8th and Manville (8-5, 15.68) in ninth. Call them bubble first-round home teams, but right now it looks like Shore (8-7, 14.117) in tenth is the only one close enough to the top eight. Florence (6-6) is about two-and-a-half points back, a significant distance – for the time being.

College Achieve Central (5-5, 11.443) sits in 12th, and looks like they should be in, but probably will finish in the bottom eight,

A couple of other local, struggling teams are on the right side of the bubble here, but with a number of other teams in the same boat, a lot could change; expect much volatility here. That includes Perth Amboy Magnet (3.9, 9.703, 14th) and Highland Park (4-11, 8.735, 16th). And by that logic, it means Dunellen (2-13, 7.537, 18th) and Woodbridge Magnet (3-11, 7.037, 19th) might also have a shot.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

Westfield (13-3, 27.416) tops this section, with the closest CJSR-area team being Piscataway (9-6, 17.205) sitting in fifth. They probably could max out at No. 3, a spot currently occupied by Elizabeth (10.5, 18.974), with Columbia (12-4, 18.776) right behind. It would be a big hill – more than seven points by average – to reach the Blue Devils, or even second-place Bayonne (14-3, 24.911).

But the Chiefs may have to watch some teams behind them, as it’s tight down to No. 9, with Bridgewater-Raritan (8-7, 15.682) down in seventh, Watchung Hills (6-8, 15.485) in eighth, and Perth Amboy (9-5, 15.208) in ninth, packed in like sardines. Even Plainfield (6-9, 14.899) in 10th place may have a shot at the top eight with that group.

It’s another one-point gap back to Woodbridge (10-4, 13.808) at 11 and Ridge (7-7, 13.58) at 12, and we think they are most likely going to finish in the bottom eight here, though if things play right, either could have a shot.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

While there’s a GMC team No. 1 and a Somerset County squad No. 2, it’s a pretty decent gap between the two. Undefeated Colonia (14-0) leads Somerville (12-4) by 4.741 power points, 27.054 to 22.313. The catch here is Somerville has played 16 games, and those low scores will start shedding, while Colonia has only 14 so far. They’ll catch up, but keep in mind if they drop a game, that’s a significant hit, whereas the Pioneers already have four losses, and another one – depending on who it comes against – would not hurt them as much as it would hit the Patriots. Colonia’s lowest power point values are over 18, while Somerville’s is a 9.343.

Further down, Carteret (11-5, 16.898) is in the middle of the pack at seven, and the Ramblers probably finish in the top eight if they keep winning, though nothing is set in stone yet. North Plainfield is 4-9, with 12.256 points and in 11th, and we thing they’re a likely bottom eight team on the current trend.

On the inside of the bubble, but still squarely on it, is South Plainfield. The Tigers are in 15th at 5-11 with a 10.134 power point average. Three teams behind them (Warren hills (2-13, 9.892), Payne Tech (2-12, 9.354) and Rahway (3-10, 9.34) are within striking distance from 16 to 18. They’re the best chance to catch the Tigers, but two of them would have to pass South Plainfield to keep them out. I’d give South better than a 50-50 shot of getting in.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1

The only team from the CJSR coverage are here is Bernards. The Mountaineers are 13-1, their lone loss coming last weekend to Roselle Park and the state’s top scorer in Sidney Smith. But while they’re in second place with 27.724 points, they are a long way away from No. 1 Caldwell, which is just a half-game better at 13-1, but almost seven full points ahead at 34.236 points. Bernards also might need to watch out for Voorhees behind them at 10-3 (25.318 points), but probably has a good enough lead over Snyder (7-4, 22.112) at this point that they only need to worry about the Vikings, as long as they keep winning.

Non-Public North A

Pingry (7-6) is the only CJSR-area team here, sitting right in the middle of a 15-team field, at No. 7 with 20.015 power points. We don’t think they fall out of the top eight, with Montclair-Kimberley (9-4) behind them, but at 15.19 points. Yet, they could move up and challenge 6th-place Mount St. Dominic (9-7, 20.442) and 5th-place Dwight-Englewood (10-1, 21.136).

First-place here is DePaul (10-1, 28.69), followed by Immaculate Heart (12-3, 27.917).

Non-Public North B

Just like we talked about Hillsborough, Gill St. Bernard’s also lost a ton of talent, but here they are, right at the top of the pile, and by a huge margin over Hudson Catholic. The Knights are 13-3 with a 28.335 power point average, while Hudson Catholic is 9-7, at 19.665. That’s almost a nine-point difference, and outside of a bunch of losses by Gill (unlikely) or an amazing run by the Hawks (less unlikely), they should have it just about locked up, and a win Thursday at Rutgers Prep – which you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio – just might do it.

Mother Seton out of the GMC checks in at No. 4 with an 8-4 record, at 17.683 points. Now, the Setters could move in either direction, just under two points behind Hudson Catholic, and less than three points ahead of Mount St. Dominic (9-6) 15.163) in eighth, with three others in between (Eastern Christian, Mary Help of Christians, and Villa Walsh).

Non-Public South A

The Shore Conference has the top two spots, and it’ll be fun to watch these two powerhouses duke it out. Right now, it’s Red Bank Catholic (36.689) at No. 1, with St. John Vianney No. 2 (36.299) with both teams 14-2. They split with each other earlier this month, so it’s going to come down to who they play here down the stretch.

St. Thomas Aquinas (16-3) is the highest-ranked CJSR-area team here, checking in at four with a 28.259 average. They might have to watch teams behind the (Camden Catholic fifth at 13-3, 27.347 and Trinity Hall at 13-3 in fifth, 26.109) but they might have some opportunities to move up, including a February third game at Gill St. Bernard’s we’ve just added to our broadcast schedule.

Down at 13 and 14 are Immaculata (6-9, 14.674) and Mount St. Mary (4-9, 13.788). Everyone makes it here if they want to in a 15-team field, so it’s just going to be a matter of who finishes where, and who they’ll face in the first round. These two are very likely to begin play on the road, wherever they end up.

Non-Public South B

Gloucester Catholic (11-3, 29.263) is the No. 1 team in the section, but Rutgers Prep (14-2) is right there behind them at 28.411 points, just 0.852 behind. Wildwood Catholic is just under three points behind the Argonauts, who are playing very well, and have a big one this Thursday at Prep, which you can hear live on Central Jersey Sports Radio at 5:30 pm. And at 16 games now, some of those lesser wins (worth less than some of Prep’s losses) like over Phillipsburg and – believe it or not – St. Rose will come off, too.

Calvary Christian is in the middle of the field at 5-6 overall, 11.2 power points, in seventh place. They could end up in the top eight or the bottom half; it’s just too close to call right now with a near-.500 record and some similar teams close behind them.

Wardlaw-Hartridge (3-9, 8.08) sits in 13th place, behind Timothy Christian, which is only technically in the standings, but has only played two games, and won’t meet the minimum to qualify.

by Mike Pavlichko

Defending Group 4 girls’ hoops champ Hillsborough leads early pack for a top seed in NJSIAA playoffs, along with a host of GMC, Somerset County squads

We know, we know, the cutoff date isn’t for another six weeks. But we’ve learned a lot about positioning for the playoffs in high school basketball, and a number of teams are in the running – or holding the top spots – in the power points chase in their respective sections.

There are some notable alterations to the system this year. While there weren’t many classification changes, the biggest one is that the merger of Jackson Liberty (Central Group 2) and Jackson Memorial (Central Group 3). That leaves the new Jackson Township in Central Jersey Group 4, along with a host of GMC and Somerset County schools.

Also, a tweak was made to the power points formula. Last season, every game counted toward a team’s average. Now, only the best 16 will be factored into the equation. The idea is mainly to avoid hurting teams who played any struggling opponents on their schedule, which they might have no control of based on divisional assignments by their conference.

That said, here’s a not-too-in-depth look at each section, and where the teams in the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area stand, based on NJ.com’s official calculations as of 11:30 pm on January 2nd. The NJSIAA Cutoff Date is February 14th, with seeding on the 17th.

Central Jersey Group 4: The first eight teams here are from the GMC and Skyland Conferences, seven from the CJSR coverage area. Hillsborough (5-1) leads the pack, with just over 0.7 points separating them from second-place East Brunswick (6-0), and a little further back from them is Sayreville (5-1). After Hunterdon Central (4-2) in fourth, there’s New Brunswick (4-3) in fifth, then Montgomery (3-2), Franklin (2-4) and Old Bridge rounding out the top eight. That’s a packed group, and if it doesn’t change much, should make for one heck of a bracket. Monroe (3-2) is in 11th, but a big win or two could quickly move them up in the standings. One thing to remember is that once a team gets over 16 games, even a so-so win could cause teams to jump as any losses they have likely would fall out of the calculation.

Central Jersey Group 2: Mainstays Manasquan (6-0) and Rumson-Fair Haven (6-0) are the No. 1 and No. 2 teams here, with the highest area team being Piscataway Magnet, which is 7-0, but sitting in fifth due to its weaker schedule than the others. South River (6-1) checks in at No. 7, while Metuchen (3-2) is at 9. Both could end up on either side of that top-eight line, where a top eight finish guarantees at least one home playoff game. Spotswood – also 3-2 – is in 11th, while East Brunswick Magnet (3-3) checks in at No. 13. Either could make a run, but the Chargers – with their schedule – have a better chance of gaining ground and getting themselves in play for the top eight.

Central Jersey Group 1: New Providence (7-0) and Keansburg (4-0) are the first two teams here, and around three points or so back of both is Bound Brook (4-1). South Amboy (6-1) and Middlesex (3-3) are in sixth and eighth, but it’s a tight pack behind them to Manville (3-2) in 12th and even Perth Amboy Magnet (1-4) in 15th and Highland Park (3-4) at 16, so any of those could make a move with even a slight jump in points.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4: This section is led by Westfield (6-0) and Bayonne (7-1), but Bridgewater-Raritan (3-2) sits close behind in third. It’s not far back to sixth, where a string of four CJSR-area teams sit: Watchung Hills (3-2), followed by Woodbridge (5-1), Ridge (3-2), and Piscataway (2-3) in ninth. All are legit top eight teams, if they keep winning. Perth Amboy (2-3) could get there, too, even sitting in 11th, while J.P. Stevens (2-2) doesn’t sit that far back in 18th place; they’re just 1.8 points or so back of Amboy, and with such a small sample size, they could make a move. They’re at South Plainfield (2-3) Tuesday at 5:30 as part of a doubleheader you can hear live on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3: It’s a GMC team followed by a Skyland team leading this section: Colonia (6-0) followed by Somerville (4-2). There’s a couple points distance there, but the Patriots have looked very good (we’ll see them January 13th at Middlesex on Central Jersey Sports Radio), and Somerville is a scrappy team, too, that made the sectional semifinals here last year, falling at home to Cranford. Carteret (5-2) checks in at five, the North Plainfield (2-3) is down at No. 9, but right in the mic for a top eight seed. South Plainfield (2-3) sits in 18th, but is less than a point from being in the field of 16. It’s early yet.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2: The only are team in this section is Bernards, and the 5-0 Mountaineers lead the section by a hair over Voorhees (5-0), by just .021 power points. Let’s just say they’re in the thick of things here.

Non-Public North A: Pinrgy leads this section with a 4-2 record, but by less than half a power point over No. 2 DePaul (4-0). They’re the only CJSR-area team in this section.

Non-Public South A: Paul VI (4-0) leads this section, with Bishop Eustace (5-1) next, then a pair of 6-0 teams: Trinity Hall and Red Bank Catholic. That puts St. Thomas Aquinas (6-3) in fifth, but still within reach of most, if not all, of the teams ahead of them. Mount St. Mary (2-3) sits in 12th, and Immaculata is 15th in the 15 team field at 2-6. But a couple of significant wins could change that in a hurry.

Non-Public North B: Mary Help of Christians (who?) from North Haledon in Passaic County leads this pack at 3-0, with Villa Walsh behind them at 3-1. Then you have defending Somerset County Tournament champion Gill St. Bernard’s (4-3) at three, but they’re not too far behind the others that they can’t make a move to that top-spot. It might just be taking some time for the Knights to mesh. Mother Seton (3-2) sits in sixth.

Non-Public South B: The top spot belongs to Gloucester Catholic (4-1) here , followed by Stuart Day (3-0), and Wildwood Catholic (4-1) before we get to the No. 1 team in the girls’ Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten. That’s Rutgers Prep (6-1), of course, their lone loss coming in the Kevin Williams Holiday Showcase down at Toms River North this week against Red Bank Catholic. Wardlaw-Hartridge (2-2) is down at 11, followed by Calvary Christian (1-3) in 12th and Timothy Christian (0-2) in 13th.

by Mike Pavlichko

Several boys’ basketball teams in the running for top state tourney seeds in very early look at NJSIAA power points

Sure, we’ve barely gotten into the meat of conference play yet, but with many teams around seven, eight or more games into the 2025-26 high school basketball season, more than a few teams from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area are at least in the running for top seeds in their respective sections.

There are a few changes this year. While there weren’t many alterations to the classifications, the biggest one is that the merger of Jackson Liberty (Central Group 2) and Jackson Memorial (Central Group 3) puts the new Jackson Township into Central Jersey Group 4, along with a host of GMC and Somerset County schools.

Also, a tweak was made to the power points formula. Where all games last season were counted toward a team’s average, only the best 16 will count this year, ostensibly to avoid hurting teams who played any clunkers on their schedule, which they might have no control of based on divisional assignments by their conference.

That said, here’s a not-too-in-depth look at each section, and where the teams in the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area stand, based on NJ.com’s official calculations as of 11:30 am on January 2nd. The NJSIAA Cutoff Date is February 14th, with seeding on the 17th.

Central Jersey Group 4: This is the section most densely populated with teams from our area, half of the 22 teams in all, including eight from the GMC and three from Somerset County. Two-time defending champion Montgomery (8-0) is in second, a slim margin behind Marlboro (4-1), with East Brunswick (7-1) just a shade behind the Cougars. Franklin (5-2) sits in a good spot in sixth, with Sayreville (5-2) in eighth, followed South Brunswick (5-1), Hillsborough (3-3) and Edison (4-2). All very much have a shot at finishing in the top eight and getting at least a first round playoff game at home. Monroe (1-5, 17th), Old Bridge (1-5, 18th) and New Brunswick (0-4, 19th) will need to turn things around quickly or face an uphill climb to the cutoff date.

Central Jersey Group 2: Metuchen (5-0) sits in third, but a decent distance – about four points – behind Rumson-Fair Haven (7-0) and Wall (5-0) in first and second, and asking the Bulldogs to catch those teams with their schedule may be asking a lot, even at this early date. Spotswood (2-2) is the next team down, at 13th, so they may have some work to do. East Brunswick Magnet (2-4) sits in 17th, and will need to pick up some wins to stay in the hunt.

Central Jersey Group 1: Defending Group 1 champ Thrive Charter (5-1) sits in first, but a slim margin separates second-place Point Pleasant Beach (5-2) and Bound Brook (6-1), with Piscataway Magnet (6-1) not far behind the Crusaders. Then, there are three more area teams from sixth through eighth, and all tightly packed: South Amboy (6-1), followed by Manville (3-3) and Middlesex (3-2). Next, Dunellen (3-3) checks in at 13, and may be a bottom-half team when all is said and done. Highland Park (3-5) checks in at 16, but there are a bunch of teams nipping at their heels – four, to be exact – within one point; among them are Perth Amboy Magnet (2-3) and Somerset Tech (3-4) in 19th and 20th, respectively.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4: Two unbeaten teams from the area hold the top two spots here, and both are unbeaten. How long they go without a loss could determine whether they stay there, but remember, even a loss or two may not hurt them with power points no longer counting all games, just the best 16 (i.e., a team that’s 16-2 likely wouldn’t have those losses count, unless any of them were more than a win). Piscataway (9-0) is at No. 1, followed by Bridgewater-Raritan (7-0). Certainly teams behind them can catch them – Scotch Plains-Fanwood (4-2) and Bayonne (6-0) are all within a point or so of the Panthers – but it’s always better to be playing with a lead, right? JP Stevens (5-1) is off to a very good start after a 3-19 season last year, and is sitting in eighth, with Perth Amboy (5-3) at ten. Both should have a good shot to be in the top eight. Woodbridge (2-3) sits in 13th, with Watchung Hills (3-3) and Ridge (2-4) in 15th and 16th, and all would be considered early bubble teams. But of note here are the Red Devils, who were missing a few players early on during an 0-4 start, but have now won two straight.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3: Four-time defending champion Colonia (2-5) has struggled early on, but they’ve lost some close ones – like to Piscataway in double-overtime before Christmas – as they try and figure out everyone’s roles after losses to graduation (Zach Smith), early graduation (R.J. Wortman), transfer (Aiden Derkack) and others just not playing basketball. The Patriots currently sit in 16th, but we have a feeling they’ll find some more wins here as the season warms up. Meanwhile, South Plainfield is off to a solid 5-1 start, and the Tigers (who we’ll se Tuesday night at 7 against Colonia on CJSR) are in third. Millburn (6-0) is first, well ahead of second-place Chatham (6-0), but South is not far behind the Cougars. And Somerville (5-1) isn’t far behind the Tigers. The next team is all the way down in 14th: North Plainfield (2-4), and Carteret (3-4, 18th) and JFK (1-4, 19th) aren’t out of the question to earn a bid.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2: Caldwell (5-1) leads the group, with Newark Collegiate (4-2) not far behind. The only area team in this section is Bernards (2-5), currently sitting in 12th place.

Non-Public South A: The lead is two power points – not insurmountable this early, but not impossible either – for No. 1 St. Peter’s Prep (5-1) over Immaculata (4-1). The Spartans might need to take someone down in Skyland Conference play to do it, but they had Montgomery on the ropes back on December 18th in Skillman, ahead 47-44 going into the fourth quarter, before eventually falling 72-62; that was the Cougars’ slimmest win of the year, though the two will not meet again. Always-pesky Pingry (5-1) sits in sixth, with ninth and tenth held by St. Joseph-Metuchen (5-0) and St. Thomas Aquinas (2-4), with the two separated by around 2.6 points.

Non-Public North B: Unless they go into some tailspin, count on Morris Catholic being the No. 1 seed, as they are 6-0 and have almost double the power points of second-place Gill St. Bernard’s (5-2). The next team from the area is at eleven – Timothy Christian (1-4) – with Wardlaw-Hartridge (0-3) in 14th.

Non-Public South B: Despite a solid 5-1 start, Rutgers Prep sits in fourth, but they’re just about two-and-a-half points behind first place Holy Cross Prep (5-0), with Doane Academy (8-0) and Bishop Eustace (7-1) in above them. Calvary Christian (2-4) sits in 12th.