Division II

Last year's semifinalists have inside track as D2 girls basketball playoffs get underway

If the top four seeds in the Division II girls basketball tournament look familiar, well, they should.

The four teams that reached the semifinals in D2 a year ago are back as the top four going into the 2018 postseason, which begins on Tuesday. While each team has reasons why it could be back at Southern New Hampshire University for the final four, there are some teams lurking who could spoil the party.

For the second straight year - and third time since 2013 - Portsmouth and Lebanon are the top two seeds, although this time around, it's the Clippers (18-0) who are the undefeated top team. The Raiders (16-2) finished in a three-way tie with Hollis Brookline and Pelham for second.

Although there are several other teams in the top 10 that could make a run to SNHU, the one every coach in the division has an eye on is No. 8 Bishop Brady (12-6), who appears to be back to preseason form thanks to the return of Sam Will. The senior was hurt in the Giants' third game of the season and recently returned to the lineup.

"When was the last time you saw a (12)-win eight seed?" Portsmouth coach Tim Hopley said. "Anything can happen. What happenes over the next two weeks is all that matters. It’s four one-game seasons, and if you’re not prepared on any given night ..."

The D2 tournament gets underway Tuesday, with winners advancing to the quarterfinals on Friday. The final four will be held March 6 at SNHU and the final is scheduled for March 9 at 7 p.m., also at SNHU.

Here's a look at the first-round matchups.

No. 16 Coe-Brown (7-11) at No. 1 Portsmouth (18-0)

Twelve games into the season, Coe-Brown looked on its way to a playoff berth at 6-6. But a five-game losing streak followed, and the Bears had to beat Oyster River (0-18) in the season finale to get into the playoffs. Portsmouth win the regular-season meeting between the two teams, 49-29, back on Dec. 14. The Clippers had an average margin of victory of 26.5 points during the regular season, allowed 40 or more points just three times, and had one game decided by 10 points or less.

No. 9 Bow (11-7) at No. 8 Bishop Brady (12-6)

The two schools separated by less than seven miles didn't play during the regular season, but both head into the playoffs with momentum. Bow won its final six games of the regular season, including wins over fellow playoff teams John Stark, Merrimack Valley and Pembroke. After the injury to Will and slow start to the season, Bishop Brady went 8-2 over its final 10 games, with its two losses to Lebanon and Hollis Brookline (by one point).

No. 13 John Stark (9-9) at No. 4 Pelham (16-2)

Pelham got all it could handle from John Stark during the regular season, picking up a 52-45 win over the Generals on Jan. 25. That points total was just one of three times this year the Pythons allowed at least that much in a game this season. John Stark won six of its next eight games after that loss, but dropped its final two games heading into the playoffs.

No. 12 Windham (10-8) at No. 5 Kennett (14-4)

After opening the season by winning eight of its first nine games, Windham ended the season on a slide, going 2-7 over the second half of the year. The difference? In the first half, the Jaguars opponents had a record of 57-105; in the second half, that record was 104-58. Kennett had won seven in a row going into the final two weeks of the season, but went 2-2 over its final four. The Eagles defense allowed an average of 35.4 points per game and gave up 40 or more just six times.

No. 15 ConVal (8-10) at No. 2 Lebanon (16-2)

Lebanon dominated the teams' regular-season meeting, winning 60-19 on Jan. 5. That was part of a 1-5 start for ConVal, but the Cougars were 6-3 over the second half of the season, scoring 48 points or more five times. The Raiders finished the regular season on an eight-game winning streak, with last six decided by 12 points or more. The defending champs lost seven of their top eight players from a year ago but have been stellar defensively, allowing an average of 32.9 points per game.

No. 10 Laconia (10-8) at No. 7 Hanover (13-5)

Laconia also got off to a slow start this season, sitting at 4-7 at the end of January. But the Sachems went 6-1 in February, with the one loss to Portsmouth, and averaged 54.1 points during that run. Hanover was in contention for a top-four seed but a stretch of three losses in four games - all to playoff teams - bumped the Marauders down a few spots. Defensively, Hanover has held some of the top teams below their season scoring average.

No. 14 Merrimack Valley (9-9) at No. 3 Hollis Brookline (16-2)

Merrimack Valley finished off an up-and-down regular season by winning three of its final four games, with the one loss a one-point setback against Pembroke in the finale. The Pride scored more than 50 points in a game 11 times this year, but were just 6-5 in those games. Hollis Brookline won 12 of its 13 final games of the regular season and have also been good offensively, averaging 54.4 points per game and scoring under 50 just five times.

No. 11 Pembroke (10-8) at No. 6 Goffstown (13-5)

Since starting the season with four losses in its first five games, Goffstown has been on a tear, winning 12 of 13. That stretched started with a 53-43 win over Pembroke on Jan. 2, the only meeting between the teams this year. The Grizzlies averaged 58.6 points in their final five games of the regular season, all wins. While Pembroke was 3-2 in its final five games, the three wins were key victories, as the Spartans knocked off Kennett on the road, bumped Souhegan out of the final playoff spot and then beat rival Merrimack Valley by one point to end the regular season.