Winter Sports

Bracketology: Division I boys basketball

The top four seeds in the Division I tournament are locked up as the regular season comes to an end this week.

Manchester Central has a top four seed locked up.

The top four seeds in the Division I tournament are locked up as the regular season comes to an end this week.

The regular season is scheduled to end on March 6, with the first round of the tournament to begin on March 11. The top 16 teams in the division make the postseason, and here’s a look at where everyone stands right now.

Top four seeds

Londonderry (16-0)
Manchester Central (15-1)
Spaulding (14-2)
Pinkerton (14-3)

No changes here, and no changes likely as far as these four teams being the top seeds when the tournament begins next week. There could be a shake up of where they all end up, with Londonderry playing Alvirne (9-7) and at Spaulding (14-2) to finish the season. Central closes at Pembroke (9-6) and at Alvirne (9-7). Spaulding also hosts Exeter (5-11) this week, while Pinkerton ends the season at Merrimack (9-7).

Next four seeds

Pembroke (9-6)
Alvirne (9-7)
Merrimack (9-7)
Bedford (9-7)

Pembroke finishes its 16-game schedule on Tuesday against Central, and the Spartans will have a long wait to see if they stay where they are or not. Alvirne, which has lost five of six, holds the tiebreaker against the other three 9-7 teams, but the Broncos finish to the regular season (at Londonderry, vs. Central) is the toughest. Bedford got two huge wins last week over Trinity and Bishop Guertin, and closes with Concord (0-16) and at Exeter (5-11). Merrimack heads to Nashua North (5-11) on Monday and finishes the regular season hosting Pinkerton.

In the hunt

Nashua South (9-7)
Manchester Memorial (7-9)
Bishop Guertin (7-10)
Trinity (6-10)

South host Memorial on Tuesday in a big game for both teams. The Panthers then end the season at Dover (3-13), not necessarily a definite win after South lost at Keene (6-10) last week. Memorial hosts Salem (5-11) on Friday to finish the season. Bishop Guertin and Trinity meet on Tuesday, and both are heading in the same direction. The Cardinals have lost five in a row while the Pioneers have dropped their last four. Both teams are capable of being a tough out for one of the top teams.