Tag: power points

February 15, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Girls’ Non-Public Power Points Update: Despite SCT loss, Gill St. Bernard’s should earn a top-seed in state tourney, along with finalist Rutgers Prep

With playoff qualification in high school basketball closing Saturday at the NJSIAA cutoff, it looks like Gill St. Bernard’s loss in the Somerset County Tournament Saturday will not keep them from getting a top seed in their playoff section, with Rutgers Prep also expected to earn one.

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.

Who gets home games and byes depends on how many teams qualify in each section, with some having fewer than 16 eligible teams. There is a 16-game minimum to qualify for the postseason, and some teams won’t make it, while others who have not had much success could opt-out.

Non-Public North A:

Morris Catholic (19-5) seems poised to get the top-seed here, looking for its fourth straight sectional title, winning hear last year after two straight in North B in 2023 and 2024. Barring any opt-outs, it’s a 15-team section and field, and they would have an opening round bye, while everyone else plays. The only area team here is Pingry (13-9), which will finish sixth, right in the middle of the pack, but should open up with a home game in the first round.

Here are the projected first round matchups:

(15) Morristown-Beard at (2) Immaculate Heart
(14) St. Elizabeth at (3) Pope John
(13) Newark Academy at (4) DePaul
(12) Holy Angels at (5) Mount St. Dominic
(11) Kent Place at (6) Pingry
(10) Paramus Catholic at (7) Dwight-Englewood
(9) Oak Knoll at (8) Montclair-Kimberley, winner at (1) Morris Catholic

Non-Public North B:

Despite the loss to Franklin Saturday in the SCT semis – a very good Franklin team, by the way – Gill St. Bernard’s (18-5) still has an enormous enough lead that this is pretty much a lock, ahead of Saddle River Day (14-9) by almost ten points. Hudson Catholic (14-9) and Villa Walsh (13-10) round out the top four, and with Eastern Christian (15-7) at five, all those teams should get first-round byes. It’s a 14-team section to begin with, but teams 12-14 – St. Vincent, Golda Och and Pioneer Academy didn’t meet the 16-game minimum to qualify.

That leaves Mother Seton (12-6) as the only other area team here in the seven spot, behind Mary Help of Christians (13-6), but ahead of St. Dominic (12-11), Roselle Catholic (5-18), St. Mary-Rutherford (8-16) and Hawthorne Christian (6-15)

Assuming a small 11-team field, the top five would get byes. Here are the projected first round matchups:

(11) Hawthorne Christian at (6) Mary Help of Christians, winner at (3) Hudson Catholic
(10) St. Mary-Rutherford at (7) Mother Seton, winner at (2) Saddle River Day
(9) Roselle Catholic at (8) St. Dominic, winner at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s
Second Round: (5) Eastern Christian at (4) Villa Walsh

Non-Public South A:

Red Bank Catholic is the solid No. 1 here, and should be the only team that gets a bye in what should be a 15-team section, as long as nobody opts out. After St. John Vianney (22-2) at No. 2, with Paul VI (20-1) at three, St. Thomas Aquinas (20-5) rounds out the top four, and the Trojans are guaranteed home games in at least the first two rounds.

It’s then a long way down to Immaculata (9-13) at 13, and Mount St. Mary (8-14) in 14th-place.

Here are the projected first-round matchups:

(15) Donovan Catholic at (2) St. John Vianney
(14) Mount St. Mary at (3) Paul VI
(13) Immaculata at (4) St. Thomas Aquinas
(12) Our Lady of Mercy at (5) Trinity Hall
(11) Notre Dame at (6) Camden Catholic
(10) St. Rose at (7) Bishop Eustace
(9) Princeton Day at (8) Union Catholic, winner at (1) Red Bank Catholic

Non-Public South B:

Rutgers Prep (21-2) to no one’s surprise is expected to get the top-seed here, by a little more than two points over Gloucester Catholic (19-4), which beat the Argonauts down at Jackson Liberty last year for the sectional title. The top-four should all get byes, rounded out with Wildwood Catholic (18-7) and Holy Spirit (18-7).

There’s some distance down to the next local teams, with Calvary Christian &7-12) in 10th and Wardlaw-Hartridge (5-12) in 12th, and what should be the final spot. Neither St. Joe’s-Hammonton, Noor-ul-iman or Timothy Christian met the 16-game threshold to qualify for the tournament.

Here are the projected first-round matchups in what we think will be a 12-team field:

(12) Wardlaw-Hartridge at (5) Stuart Day, winner at (4) Holy Spirit
(11) Ranney at (6) Moorestown Friends, winner at (3) Wildwood Catholic
(10) Calvary Christian at (7) Koinonia, winner at (2) Gloucester Catholic
(9) Holy Cross Prep at (8) Doane Academy, winner at (1) Rutgers Prep

February 15, 2026February 15, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Girls’ Power Points Update: Somerville looks locked in to a No. 1 seed in North 2, Group 3 over Colonia; with Piscataway, Bernards earning top four slots

With playoff qualification in high school basketball closing Saturday at the NJSIAA cutoff, four Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area teams appear to have earned top four seeds, including a top-seed for Somerville in the Group 3 section of North Jersey, Section 2.

First round action begins on Tuesday, March 24th.

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:

Bayonne (19-4) and Westfield (15-7) remain the top two here, just as they were a week ago, but a big run by Piscataway (15-7) to the GMC Tournament semifinals Tuesday night appears to have helped the Lady Chiefs skyrocket from sixth to third in the span of just a week. That means they could host at least two home games in this section, if they advance that far. Their rise knocked Plainfield (13-10) down one peg to fourth, rounding out the first four.

There were major changes in the next four, too. Columbia (16-7) dropped from four to five, Elizabeth (14-9) fell from five to six, and Bridgewater-Raritan (12-11) used a 2-0 week to shoot up three places to seventh, with North Star Academy (10-11) holding in the next spot to finish up the top eight, all of whom are guaranteed at least a first-round home game.

Woodbridge (16-7) went 1-1 since our last update and fell from seven to nine, while Watchung Hills (10-12) dropped from nine to ten. Union (12-7) gained a spot to get to 11, and Linden (9-17) held in 12th. The rest are Ridge (9-14), Perth Amboy (12-9) and JP Stevens (9-14), all up one spot apiece to 13, 14 and 15, while Scotch Plains-Fanwood fell three spots from 13 to the 16th and final playoff position.

Here are the projected first round matchups:

(16) Scotch Plains-Fanwood at (1) Bayonne
(15) JP Stevens at (2) Westfield
(14) Perth Amboy at (3) Piscataway
(13) Ridge at (4) Plainfield
(12) Linden at (5) Colulmbia
(11) Union at (6) Elizabeth
(10) Watchung Hills at (7) Bridgwater-Raritan
(9) Woodbridge at (8) North Star Academy

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3:

The lead was larger a week ago – just over two points – and now it’s down to fractions, but it appears Somerville (18-6) had enough padding between them and second-place Colonia (19-2) to keep the Patriots at bay. They finish just 0.354 points apart. Millburn (16-8) rose from five to three, while Cranford (12-13) dropped a spot to fourth. The top eight is rounded out with Chatham (12-12), North Hunterdon (10-13), Mendham (10-11) and Summit (11-13), with only the top three teams out of the top eight having above .500 records.

Carteret (13-9) is four games over .500, but will have to settle for the ninth-seed and open on the road, along with tenth-place South Plainfield (8-17), which moved up one spot from a week ago. Fort Lee and Randolph are next, then North Plainfield (5-18) at 13, followed by Orange, Cliffside Park and Warren Hills to finish the top 16. JFK was 6-18 last week, and with one loss, and other teams winning, dropped out and fell to 18 to miss the playoffs.

Here are the projected first round matchups:

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

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2:

No change in the top two here, where Caldwell (19-2) hold on to its No. 1 position over Bernards (20-3), the only Central JErsey Sports Radio coverage area team in the section.

Here are the projected first-round matchups:

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

February 15, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Girls’ Power Points Update in Central Jersey sections: Franklin appears to have locked down No. 1 seed in CJ4 with upset of Gill in SCT; Bound Brook looks like 2-seed in CJ 2

With playoff qualification in high school basketball closing Saturday at the NJSIAA cutoff, Franklin’s big win over Gill St. Bernard’s in the Somerset County Tournament semifinals may have been enough to help the Warriors claim the top-seed in Central Jersey Group 4, the only section to be lead by a CJSR-area team.

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:

Franklin (17-7) was ahead of East Brunswick (20-4) by just 0.196 points on Super Bowl Sunday, but a 4-0 week capped by an upset of defending champion Gill St. Bernard’s in the SCT semis Saturday grew the Warriors’ lead to nearly four full points, so they appear well-locked in as the No. 1 seed ahead of the bears, and then No. 3 Hillsborough (16-6). It should be noted that there is no top-down head-to-head adjustment in basketball as there is in football, or else the Raiders would have jumped the Bears, having beaten them at home back on January 22. So in this case, they stay where they are; head-to-head only comes into play as the first tiebreaker if teams are tied in power points, which is very rare based on the nature of the system and power point averages calculated to three decimal places. Hunterdon Central (15-8) rounds out the top four. Then, we get Jackson Twp., Princeton, Marlboro and Freehold Twp. rounding out the top eight, all of whom get to open at home.

That leaves a bunch of area teams starting on the road, all bunched up in positions nine through 13. Only New Brunswick (12-10) fell out of the top eight, going all the way to 12. Sayreville (18-5) rose one spot in the past week to get to nine; Montgomery (11-12) edged up from eleven to ten; Old Bridge (10-13) skyrocketed from 14 to eleven thanks to a 2-1 week; the Zebras fell four spots to 12; and Monroe (10-11) climbed from 15 to 13 on a 2-1 week. All those teams were very tightly packed in the final week. Trenton, West Windsor-Plainsboro South and Hightstown round out the field of 16 here, where – if things stay as they are – all eight first round games will feature one Central Jersey Sports Radio team.

Here are the projected first round matchups:

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

Central Jersey Group 2:

Though their lead got a bit smaller in the past week, it was enough for Manasquan (19-4) to retain the top seed, and in fact, the top seven here remain unchanged from a week ago. That means Rumson-Fair Haven (16-8), Johnson (18-3) and South River (19-7) complete the top four in this section. Bordentown (18-2) is at No. 5, followed by Piscataway Magnet (18-4), Point Pleasant Boro (11-12), and Delaware Valley (11-13) at No. 8.

The Terriers wrested away the eighth spot from Spotswood (14-10), which dropped to nine and will miss out on a first-round home game. Delran, Governor Livingston and Robbinsille are next, followed by Metuchen (12-11) at 13, which gained two spots in the past week after going 2-1 since our last update. Holmdel, Wall and Ocean Twp. round out the field of 16, with East Brunswick Magnet (8-11) falling out from the 16 spot to 17 after losing their only game this past week.

Here are the projected first round matchups:

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

Central Jersey Group 1:

We’re not sure if Bound Brook‘s narrow loss to Rutgers Prep in Saturday’s Somerset County Tournament semifinal cost them a shot at the top seed, but it was likely close, as the Crusaders were 1.399 points away from top-seed New Providence, but finished 0.756 points back. So those top two stay the same, with the Pioneers at 22-1, and the Crusaders 21-2. Keansburg (19-1) shot up from sixth to third since last Sunday, and South Amboy (17-6) on a 2-1 week pulled up from fifth to fourth, getting then an extra home game should they win in the opening round.

That leaves five through eight as Brearley (14-4), Roselle Park (15-7), Thrive Charter (10-10) and Shore (14-10).

Middlesex (14-1) and Manville (16-7) hold right where they were a week ago, at eight and nine, respectively, while Florence (11-11) holds at eleven, and Highland Park (8-16) holds on to the 12th position. Henry Hudson edged up to 13, College Achieve Central (8-10) went down to 14, while two out-of-the-bubble teams got in at the last two spots in the field of 16; South Hunterdon (4-18) came up from 20 on the strength of a 2-1 week that doubled their win total (remember we said how just one win by a team with only a couple or a few could make a big difference?) while Dayton (2-19) snuck in from 17. The Bulldogs have a brutal schedule, which includes Group 4 schools like Linden and Elizabeth, the second of which is the biggest high school in New Jersey. They took the spot of Dunellen (3-20), which fell out to 17.

Here are the projected first-round matchups:

(16) Dayton at (1) New Providence
(15) South Hunterdon at (2) Bound Brook
(14) College Achieve Central at (3) Keansburg
(13) Henry Hudson at (4) South Amboy
(12) Highland Park at (5) Brearley
(11) Florence at (6) Roselle Park
(10) Manville at (7) Thrive Charter
(9) Middlesex at (8) Shore

February 15, 2026February 15, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Boys’ Non-Public Power Points Update: SCT finalists Gill St. Bernard’s, Rutgers Prep appear to hold on to top seeds in upcoming state tourney

With playoff qualification in high school basketball closing Saturday at the NJSIAA cutoff, it looks like Gill St. Bernard’s and Rutgers Prep – ranked Nos. 3 and 9 in the statewide rankings, and both Somerset County Tournament semifinalists – will be getting the NO. 1 seeds in their respective playoff sections.

First round action begins on Tuesday, March 24th.

Non-Public North B:

Nothing changed at the top since our last update, with Gill St. Bernard’s (23-2) getting the top seed by more than two points over Roselle Catholic (18-6). Morris Catholic (20-4), and St. Mary-Rutherford (21-3) round out the top four, which has three 20-game winners. After Morristown-Beard and Montclair-Kimberley at five and six, Timothy Christian at 5-18 – which went 2-1 this past week – finishes as a solid seven.

Then, it’s Pioneer Academy, Eastern Christian, Saddle River Day, and Wardlaw-Hartridge (4-12) checking in at 11, followed by Koinonia (4-16) at 12. We think that will be the field, as Golda Och and Franklin School (Jersey City) didn’t meet the 16-game minimum, while Hawthorne Christian did, but is 0-20. We think they’ll opt out.

Assuming a 12-team field, the top four would get byes. Here are the projected first round matchups:

(12) Koinonia at (5) Morristown-Beard, winner at (4) St. Mary-Rutherford
(11) Wardlaw-Hartridge at (6) Montclair-Kimberley, winner at (3) Morris Catholic
(10) Saddle River Day at (7) Timothy Christian, winner at (2) Roselle Catholic
(9) Eastern Christian at (8) Pioneer Academy, winner at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s

Non-Public North A:

The top three seeds here were unchanged from a week ago, and it looks like No. 1 will go to Paul VI (18-3), followed by Christian Brothers (19-3) and St. Peter’s Prep (18-3). But St. Joseph-Metuchen (24-1) pulled all the way up to No. 4 after their out-of-state opponent records were added in; they had not been updated as of last Sunday. That knocks Red Bank Catholic (18-6) down to five and Immaculata (17-6) down to six. After that, it’s Camden Catholic, St. Augustine and Union Catholic before you get to Pingry (12-8) at ten, followed by St. Thomas Aquinas (11-13), a GMC Tournament semifinalist, where they’ll play St. Joe’s. Ironically, it looks like the Trojans will face Immaculata in the opening round, just as they did in football this year. The last three are St. John Vianney, Donovan Catholic and Notre Dame.

We don’t anticipate any opt-outs here, so here are the projected first round matchups in what we believe will be a 14-team field, with the top two seeds getting byes:

(14) Notre Dame at (3) St. Peter’s Prep
(13) Donovan Catholic at (4) St. Joseph-Metuchen
(12) St. John Vianney at (5) Red Bank Catholic
(11) St. Thomas Aquinas at (6) Immaculata
(10) Pingry at (7) Camden Catholic, winner at (2) Christian Brothers
(9) Union Catholic at (8) St. Augustine, winner at (1) Paul VI)

Non-Public South B:

We don’t anticipate any opt-outs here, but St. Joseph-Hammonton – which finished 8th at 9-14 – is disqualified from the tournament after an early-January benches-clearing brawl in a game against LEAP Academy. Somerset County Tournament finalist Rutgers Prep (16-8) gets the top seed, followed by Holy Cross Prep (21-4) and Holy Spirit (18-6) rounding out the top three, all getting first round byes in what we anticipate will be a 13-team field. Calvary Christian (6-14) gets to 12 seed, should they play.

Here are the projected first-round matchups:

(13) Moorestown Friends at (4) Doane Academy
(12) Noor-ul-iman at (5) Bishop Eustace
(11) Calvary Christian at (6) Ranney, winner at (3) Holy Spirit
(10) Wildwood Catholic at (7) Gloucester Catholic, winner at (2) Holy Cross Prep
(9) Princeton Day at (8) St. Rose, winner at (1) Rutgers Prep

February 15, 2026February 15, 2026 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.

First round action begins on Tuesday, March 24th.

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

February 15, 2026February 15, 2026 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.

First round action begins on Tuesday, March 24th.

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

February 8, 2026 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.

February 8, 2026February 8, 2026 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.

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.

January 3, 2026January 3, 2026 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.

January 2, 2026March 11, 2026 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.