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Bracketology: Boys Basketball (Jan. 17)

The boys basketball regular season is in full swing, with all four divisions well into their schedules. While the playoffs may still be two months away, we’ll take a peek each week at what the playoff field would look like if the NHIAA playoff started on that day. These will be updated every Monday

Joe Marchilena

— 5 min read
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Bracketology: Boys Basketball (Jan. 17)

The boys basketball regular season is in full swing, with all four divisions well into their schedules. While the playoffs may still be two months away, we’ll take a peek each week at what the playoff field would look like if the NHIAA playoff started on that day.

These will be updated every Monday for Sports Insider Members. To signup for a membership, click on the register button below.

Note: With the NHIAA’s 70-percent rule in place for the postseason, Division I will have 13 teams, Division II and IV will have 15 teams, and Division III will have 16 teams. Standings based off results reported to NHIAA.org and other media outlets. These are not official pairings.

Division I

Playoff field (record, rating)

  1. Exeter (6-0, 4.0000)
  2. Londonderry (5-1, 3.3333)
  3. Alvirne (5-1, 3.3333)
  4. Portsmouth (5-1, 3.3333)
  5. Manchester Memorial (4-1, 3.2000)
  6. Manchester Central (4-1, 3.2000)
  7. Winnacunnet (4-1, 3.2000)
  8. Salem (4-2, 2.6667)
  9. Bedford (3-2, 2.4000)
  10. Nashua South (3-2, 2.4000)
  11. Merrimack (3-3, 2.0000)
  12. Concord (2-4, 1.3333)
  13. Bishop Guertin (1-4, 0.8000)

Outside: Nashua North (1-4, 0.8000); Pinkerton (1-4, 0.8000); Spaulding (1-5, 0.6667); Keene (0-4, 0.0000); Dover (0-5, 0.0000); Trinity (0-6, 0.0000).

Tiebreakers

  • Londonderry and Alvirne finish ahead of Portsmouth thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • Londonderry wins the tiebreaker with Alvirne thanks to a better quality of wins against tournament teams.
  • Manchester Memorial wins the three-way tiebreaker with Manchester Central and Winnacunnet thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • Manchester Central wins the tiebreaker with Winnacunnet thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • Bedford wins the tiebreaker with Nashua South thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • Bishop Guertin wins the three-way tiebreaker with Nashua North and Pinkerton for the final playoff spot thanks to a better quality of wins against tournament teams.

First-round byes

  • No. 1 Exeter
  • No. 2 Londonderry
  • No. 3 Alvirne

First-round matchups

  • No. 9 Bedford at No. 8 Salem
  • No. 12 Concord at No. 5 Manchester Memorial
  • No. 13 Bishop Guertin at No. 4 Portsmouth
  • No. 10 Nashua South at No. 7 Winnacunnet
  • No. 11 Merrimack at No. 6 Manchester Central

Division II

Playoff field (record, rating)

  1. Merrimack Valley (6-1, 3.4286)
  2. Coe-Brown (5-1, 3.3333)
  3. Oyster River (5-1, 3.3333)
  4. Timberlane (5-1, 3.3333)
  5. Hollis Brookline (4-1, 3.2000)
  6. Lebanon (5-2, 2.8571)
  7. Pelham (4-2, 2.6667)
  8. Pembroke (3-2, 2.4000)
  9. Plymouth (4-3, 2.2857)
  10. Milford (4-4, 2.0000)
  11. Kearsarge (4-4, 2.0000)
  12. Windham (3-4, 1.7143)
  13. Kennett (3-4, 1.7143)
  14. Souhegan (3-4, 1.7143)
  15. John Stark (2-3, 1.6000)

Outside: ConVal (2-4, 1.3333); Hanover (1-2, 1.3333); Manchester West (2-5, 1.1429); Bishop Brady (1-4, 0.8000); Bow (1-4, 0.8000); Kingswood (1-5, 0.6667); Goffstown (1-5, 0.6667).

Tiebreakers

  • Coe-Brown wins the three-way tiebreaker with Oyster River and Timberlane thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • Oyster River wins the tiebreaker with Timberlane thanks to a head-to-head victory.
  • Milford wins the tiebreaker with Kearsarge thanks to a head-to-head victory.
  • Windham wins the three-way tiebreaker with Kennett and Souhegan thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • Kennett wins the tiebreaker with Souhegan thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.

First-round bye

  • No. 1 Merrimack Valley

First-round matchups

  • No. 9 Plymouth at No. 8 Pembroke
  • No. 12 Windham at No. 5 Hollis Brookline
  • No. 13 Kennett at No. 4 Timberlane
  • No. 15 John Stark at No. 2 Coe-Brown
  • No. 10 Milford at No. 7 Pelham
  • No. 14 Souhegan at No. 3 Oyster River
  • No. 11 Kearsarge at No. 6 Lebanon

Division III

Playoff field (record, rating)

  1. Somersworth (8-0, 4.0000)
  2. Mascenic (7-0, 4.0000)
  3. Hopkinton (7-1, 3.5000)
  4. Campbell (5-1, 3.3333)
  5. Conant (6-2, 3.0000)
  6. Gilford (5-2, 2.8571)
  7. Inter-Lakes (5-2, 2.8571)
  8. White Mountains (5-2, 2.8571)
  9. Monadnock (7-3, 2.8000)
  10. Berlin (4-2, 2.6667)
  11. Fall Mountain (6-3, 2.6667)
  12. Laconia (4-3, 2.2857)
  13. Belmont (3-3, 2.0000)
  14. Newport (2-2, 2.0000)
  15. Sanborn (3-4, 1.7143)
  16. St. Thomas (3-5, 1.5000)

Outside: Stevens (3-6, 1.4444); Prospect Mountain (2-5, 1.1429); Mascoma Valley (2-5, 1.1429); Raymond (2-5, 1.1429); Winnisquam (1-6, 0.5714); Hillsboro-Deering (0-7, 0.0000); Franklin (0-7, 0.0000); Newfound (0-7, 0.0000).

Tiebreakers

  • Somersworth wins the tiebreaker with Mascenic thanks to a better quality of wins against tournament teams.
  • Gilford wins the three-way tiebreaker with Inter-Lakes and White Mountains thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • Inter-Lakes wins the tiebreaker with White Mountains thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • Berlin wins the tiebreaker with Fall Mountain thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • Belmont wins the tiebreaker with Newport thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.

First-round matchups

  • No. 16 St. Thomas at No. 1 Somersworth
  • No. 9 Monadnock at No. 8 White Mountains
  • No. 12 Laconia at No. 5 Conant
  • No. 13 Belmont at No. 4 Campbell
  • No. 15 Sanborn at No. 2 Mascenic
  • No. 10 Berlin at No. 7 Inter-Lakes
  • No. 14 Newport at No. 3 Hopkinton
  • No. 11 Fall Mountain at No. 6 Gilford

Division IV

Playoff field (record, rating)

  1. Derryfield (7-0, 4.0000)
  2. Newmarket (7-1, 3.5000)
  3. Pittsfield (7-1, 3.5000)
  4. Littleton (6-2, 3.0000)
  5. Groveton (6-2, 3.0000)
  6. Woodsville (6-2, 3.0000)
  7. Sunapee (5-2, 2.8571)
  8. Profile (5-3, 2.5000)
  9. Mount Royal (4-3, 2.2857)
  10. Epping (4-3, 2.2857)
  11. Moultonborough (5-4, 2.2222)
  12. Lisbon (3-5, 1.5000)
  13. Lin-Wood (3-6, 1.3333)
  14. Hinsdale (2-4, 1.3333)
  15. Wilton-Lyndeborough (2-5, 1.1429)

Outside: Farmington (1-3, 1.0000); Gorham (1-6, 0.5714); Portsmouth Christian (1-6, 0.5714); Colebrook (1-7, 0.5000); Nute (0-6, 0.0000); Concord Christian (0-6, 0.0000); Canaan-Pittsburg (0-7, 0.0000).

Tiebreakers

  • Newmarket wins the tiebreaker with Pittsfield thanks to a head-to-head victory.
  • Littleton wins the three-way tiebreaker with Groveton and Woodsville thanks to a better quality of wins against tournament teams.
  • Groveton wins the tiebreaker with Woodsville thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • Mount Royal wins the tiebreaker with Epping thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • Lin-Wood wins the tiebreaker with Hinsdale thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.

First-round bye

  • No. 1 Derryfield

First-round matchups

  • No. 9 Mount Royal at No. 8 Profile
  • No. 12 Lisbon at No. 5 Groveton
  • No. 13 Lin-Wood at No. 4 Littleton
  • No. 15 Wilton-Lynderborough at No. 2 Newmarket
  • No. 10 Epping at No. 7 Sunapee
  • No. 14 Hinsdale at No. 3 Pittsfield
  • No. 11 Moultonborough at No. 6 Woodsville

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