Playoff Picture: Boys Basketball (Feb. 9)

With Divisions III and IV wrapping up their regular season over the next few days, we thought an extra look at the playoff picture was appropriate for this week.

Here’s a look at what the tournament field for all four divisions of boys basketball would look like if the postseason were to begin today.

Note: With the NHIAA’s 70-percent rule in place for the postseason, Division I will have 15 teams, Division II and III will have 14 teams, and Division IV will have 17 teams in the playoffs. Standings based off results reported to NHIAA.org and other media outlets. These are not official. 

Division I

Team (record, rating, previous)

1. Bedford (14-0, 4.0000, 1st)
2. Pinkerton (13-1, 3.7143, 2nd)
3. Nashua North (10-4, 2.8571, 3rd)
4. Exeter (9-4, 2.7692, 5th)
5. Trinity (8-4, 2.7692, 6th)
6. Nashua South (9-5, 2.5714, 4th)
7. Windham (8-5, 2.4615, 7th)
8. Keene (8-6, 2.2857, 9th)
9. Portsmouth (7-6, 2.1538, 8th)
10. Dover (7-6, 2.1538, 12th)
11. Alvirne (7-6, 2.1538, 13th)
12. Goffstown (7-7, 2.0000, 11th)
13. Manchester Memorial (6-7, 1.8462, 10th)
14. Merrimack (5-8, 1.5385, 14th)
15. Londonderry (5-8, 1.5385, NR)

Outside: Salem (5-8, 1.5385, 15th); Spaulding (5-9, 1.4286); Manchester Central (4-8, 1.3333); Bishop Guertin (4-10, 1.1429); Winnacunnet (2-11, 0.6154); Concord (1-11, 0.3333); Timberlane (1-13, 0.2857).

Tiebreakers

• Exeter wins the tiebreaker with Trinity thanks to a head-to-head victory.
• In a three-way tiebreaker, Portsmouth (1.7778) finishes ahead of Dover and Alvirne (1.3333) thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
• Dover (0.5556) wins the tiebreaker with Alvirne (0.3793) thanks to a better quality of wins against tournament teams.
• In a three-way tiebreaker, Merrimack (1.3333), Londonderry (1.0909) and Salem (0.8889) finish in that order thanks to ratings against tournament teams.

First-round bye (changes in bold)

• No. 1 Bedford

First-round matchups

• No. 9 Portsmouth at No. 8 Keene
• No. 12 Goffstown at No. 5 Trinity
• No. 13 Manchester Memorial at No. 4 Exeter
• No. 15 Londonderry at No. 2 Pinkerton
• No. 10 Dover at No. 7 Windham
• No. 14 Merrimack at No. 3 Nashua North
• No. 11 Alvirne at No. 6 Nashua South

Division II

Team (record, rating, previous)

1. Hanover (14-1, 3.7333, 1st)
2. Pelham (13-1, 3.7143, 2nd)
3. Pembroke (11-2, 3.3846, 3rd)
4. Coe-Brown (11-2, 3.3846, 4th)
5. Manchester West (10-4, 2.8571, 5th)
6. Bow (10-4, 2.8571, 6th)
7. Laconia (10-5, 2.6667, 7th)
8. Plymouth (7-7, 2.0000, 10th)
9. Oyster River (6-7, 1.9231, 8th)
10. Souhegan (6-7, 1.8462, 14th)
11. Kennett (6-7, 1.8462, 9th)
12. Merrimack Valley (6-8, 1.7143, 11th)
13. Sanborn (6-8, 1.7143, 13th)
14. Kingswood (5-8, 1.5385, 12th)

Outside: John Stark (5-10, 1.3333); Hollis Brookline (4-10, 1.1429, 14th); Milford (4-10, 1.1429); Lebanon (4-10, 1.1429); ConVal (1-12, 0.3077); Bishop Brady (0-13, 0.0000).

Tiebreakers

• Pembroke (3.2000) wins the tiebreaker with Coe-Brown (3.1111) thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
• Manchester West (2.5455) wins the tiebreaker with Bow (2.2222) thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
• Souhegan wins the tiebreaker with Kennett thanks to a head-to-head victory.
• Merrimack Valley (1.0000) wins the tiebreaker with Sanborn (0.0000) thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.

First-round byes (changes in bold)

• No. 1 Hanover
• No. 2 Pelham

First-round matchups

• No. 9 Oyster River at No. 8 Plymouth
• No. 12 Merrimack Valley at No. 5 Manchester West
• No. 13 Sanborn at No. 4 Coe-Brown
• No. 10 Souhegan at No. 7 Laconia
• No. 14 Kingswood at No. 3 Pembroke
• No. 11 Kennett at No. 6 Bow

Division III

Team (record, rating, previous)

1. Conant (17-1, 3.7778, 1st)
2. St. Thomas (15-1, 3.7500, 2nd)
3. Mascoma Valley (14-1, 3.7333, 3rd)
4. Kearsarge (15-3, 3.3333, 4th)
5. Hopkinton (11-4, 2.9333, 5th)
6. White Mountains (11-6, 2.5882, 6th)
7. Belmont (10-7, 2.3529, 7th)
8. Gilford (10-7, 2.3529, 8th)
9. Campbell (9-7, 2.2500, 9th)
10. Fall Mountain (8-9, 1.8824, 11th)
11. Newport (8-10, 1.7778, NR)
12. Stevens (7-9, 1.7500, 12th)
13. Raymond (7-9, 1.7500, 10th)
14. Inter-Lakes (7-9, 1.7500, 13th)

Outside: Prospect Mountain (6-9, 1.6000, 14th); Monadnock (6-10, 1.5625).

Eliminated: Winnisquam (5-11, 1.2500); Newfound (2-14, 0.5000); Somersworth (1-14, 0.2667); Hillsboro-Deering (1-15, 0.2500); Berlin (0-17, 0.0000).

Tiebreakers

• Belmont wins the tiebreaker with Gilford thanks to a head-to-head victory.
• In a three-way tiebreaker, Stevens (1.0909), Raymond (0.4000) and Inter-Lakes (0.0000) finish in that order thanks to ratings against tournament teams.

Remaining Schedule

• Friday: Raymond at Hillsboro-Deering, 5:30 p.m.; Belmont at Gilford, 6 p.m.; Berlin at Somersworth, 6 p.m.; Campbell at Prospect Mountain, 6 p.m.; Fall Mountain at Monadnock, 6:30 p.m.; Mascoma Valley at White Mountains, 6:30 p.m.; St. Thomas at Hopkinton, 7 p.m.

Scenarios

• Conant has clinched the No. 1 seed.
• St. Thomas clinches the No. 2 seed with a win over Hopkinton or a loss and a Mascoma Valley loss. Mascoma Valley clinches the No. 2 seed with a win over White Mountains and a St. Thomas loss. St. Thomas and Mascoma Valley will be the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds.
• Keasarge has clinched the No. 4 seed.
• Hopkinton has clinched the No. 5 seed.
• White Mountains clinches the No. 6 seed with a win or a loss and a Belmont win over Gilford.
• A Belmont win over Gilford would give it the No. 7 seed. A Gilford win over Belmont, and a White Mountains loss, would give it the No. 6 seed.
• A Campbell win over Prospect Mountain and a Belmont loss would give Campbell the No. 8 seed and drop Belmont to No. 9.
• Fall Mountain, Newport and Stevens have clinched playoff spots.
• Raymond clinches a playoff spot with a win over Hillsboro-Deering and could finish as high as No. 10.
• Prospect Mountain clinches a playoff spot with a win over Campbell and would eliminate Inter-Lakes.
• Monadnock clinches a playoff spot with a win over Fall Mountain and losses by Raymond and Prospect Mountain.

First-round byes

• No. 1 Conant
• No. 2 St. Thomas

First-round matchups

• No. 9 Campbell at No. 8 Gilford
• No. 12 Stevens at No. 5 Hopkinton
• No. 13 Raymond at No. 4 Kearsarge
• No. 10 Fall Mountain at No. 7 Belmont
• No. 14 Inter-Lakes at No. 3 Mascoma Valley
• No. 11 Newport at No. 6 White Mountains

Division IV

Team (record, rating, previous)

1. Profile (16-0, 4.1250, 1st)
2. Derryfield (15-1, 3.8125, 2nd)
3. Littleton (14-2, 3.6250, 3rd)
4. Farmington (14-3, 3.2941, 4th)
5. Woodsville (12-4, 3.0000, 5th)
6. Holy Family (12-4, 3.0000, 6th)
7. Portsmouth Christian (11-5, 2.7500, 7th)
8. Franklin (11-5, 2.7500, 8th)
9. Gorham (11-6, 2.6471, 9th)
10. Groveton (9-8, 2.2941, 10th)
11. Hinsdale (7-8, 2.0000, 11th)
12. Concord Christian (8-9, 1.8824, 12th)
13. Colebrook (7-9, 1.8125, 13th)
14. Pittsburg-Canaan (6-8, 1.7143, 16th)
15. Moultonborough (6-10, 1.5625, 14th)
16. Newmarket (6-10, 1.5000, 15th)
17. Nute (6-11, 1.4118, NR)

Outside: Sunapee (5-11, 1.2500); Epping (5-12, 1.1765, 17th); Mascenic (5-12, 1.1765); Wilton-Lyndeborough (4-12, 1.0000); Lin-Wood (2-13, 0.5333); Pittsfield (1-14, 0.2667); Mount Royal (1-15, 0.2500).

Tiebreakers

• Woodsville wins the tiebreaker with Holy Family thanks to a head-to-head victory.
• Portsmouth Christian (2.3333) wins the tiebreaker with Franklin (2.0000) thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.

Opening Round (changes in bold)

• No. 17 Nute at No. 16 Newmarket

First-round matchups 

• Nute/Newmarket winner at No. 1 Profile
• No. 9 Gorham at No. 8 Franklin
• No. 12 Concord Christian at No. 5 Woodsville
• No. 13 Colebrook at No. 4 Farmington
• No. 15 Moultonborough at No. 2 Derryfield
• No. 10 Groveton at No. 7 Portsmouth Christian
• No. 14 Pittsburg-Canaan at No. 3 Littleton
• No. 11 Hinsdale at No. 6 Holy Family