Winter Sports

Playoff Picture: Boys Basketball (Jan. 23)

No kidding, it’s time to start talking playoffs. With tournaments beginning for some divisions in less than a month, the time has come to start taking a look at where teams are lining up. Here’s a look at what the tournament field for all four divisions of boys basketball would look like if the post

Joe Marchilena

— 5 min read
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Playoff Picture: Boys Basketball (Jan. 23)

No kidding, it’s time to start talking playoffs. With tournaments beginning for some divisions in less than a month, the time has come to start taking a look at where teams are lining up.

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, last week)

  1. Bedford (9-0, 4.0000, 2nd)
  2. Pinkerton (9-0, 4.0000, 1st)
  3. Portsmouth (7-1, 3.5000, 3rd)
  4. Nashua South (7-3, 2.8000, 4th)
  5. Trinity (6-3, 2.6667, 6th)
  6. Windham (5-3, 2.5000, 8th)
  7. Manchester Memorial (5-4, 2.2222, 5th)
  8. Exeter (5-4, 2.2222, 7th)
  9. Nashua North (5-4, 2.2222, 9th)
  10. Keene (5-4, 2.2222, NR)
  11. Salem (4-4, 2.0000, 10th)
  12. Goffstown (4-4, 2.0000, 11th)
  13. Dover (4-4, 2.0000, 12th)
  14. Londonderry (4-5, 1.7778, 14th)
  15. Merrimack (4-5, 1.7778, 15th)

Outside: Alvirne (3-4, 1.7143, 13th); Bishop Guertin (3-6, 1.3333); Spaulding (2-6, 1.0000); Manchester Central (2-6, 1.0000); Winnacunnet (2-7, 0.8889); Timberlane (0-8, 0.0000); Concord (0-9, 0.0000).

Tiebreakers

  • Bedford wins the tiebreaker with Pinkerton thanks to a better quality of wins against tournament teams.
  • In a four-way tiebreaker, Manchester Memorial, Exeter, Nashua North and Keene come out in that order thanks to ratings against tournament teams.
  • In a three-way tiebreaker, Salem, Goffstown and Dover come out in that order thanks to ratings against tournament teams.
  • Londonderry wins the tiebreaker with Merrimack thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.

First-round bye (changes in bold)

  • No. 1 Bedford

First-round matchups

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

Division II

Team (record, rating, last week)

  1. Hanover (9-1, 3.6000, 1st)
  2. Pelham (7-1, 3.5000, 4th)
  3. Pembroke (7-1, 3.5000, 2nd)
  4. Manchester West (7-1, 3.5000, 3rd)
  5. Coe-Brown (6-2, 3.0000, 8th)
  6. Laconia (7-3, 2.8000, 6th)
  7. Bow (6-3, 2.6667, 10th)
  8. Oyster River (6-4, 2.5000, 11th)
  9. Kennett (5-3, 2.5000, 5th)
  10. Plymouth (5-4, 2.2222, 7th)
  11. Merrimack Valley (4-5, 1.7778, 9th)
  12. Kingswood (4-5, 1.7778, 12th)
  13. Sanborn (4-6, 1.6000, 13th)
  14. Hollis Brookline (4-6, 1.6000, 14th)

Outside: John Stark (3-6, 1.3333); Milford (3-6, 1.3333); Lebanon (2-7, 0.8889); Souhegan (0-7, 0.0000); Bishop Brady (0-8, 0.0000); ConVal (0-8, 0.0000).

Tiebreakers

  • In a three-way tiebreaker, Pelham comes out ahead of Manchester West and Pembroke thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • Pembroke wins the tiebreaker with Manchester West thanks to a better quality of wins against tournament teams.
  • Oyster River wins the tiebreaker with Kennett thanks to a head-to-head victory.
  • Kingswood wins the tiebreaker with Merrimack Valley thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • Sanborn wins the tiebreaker with Hollis Brookline thanks to a better rating in head-to-head games.

First-round byes (changes in bold)

  • No. 1 Hanover
  • No. 2 Pelham

First-round matchups

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

Division III

Team (record, rating, last week)

  1. Conant (12-0, 4.0000, 1st)
  2. St. Thomas (11-1, 3.6667, 2nd)
  3. Mascoma Valley (8-1, 3.5556, 3rd)
  4. Hopkinton (8-3, 2.9091, 5th)
  5. Kearsarge (8-3, 2.9091, 6th)
  6. Gilford (6-4, 2.4000, 4th)
  7. Raymond (6-4, 2.4000, 8th)
  8. White Mountains (7-5, 2.3333, 7th)
  9. Campbell (7-5, 2.3333, 9th)
  10. Inter-Lakes (4-5, 1.7778, NR)
  11. Stevens (5-7, 1.6667, 10th)
  12. Newport (5-7, 1.6667, 12th)
  13. Belmont (4-6, 1.6000, 11th)
  14. Fall Mountain (4-6, 1.6000, NR)

Outside: Winnisquam (4-6, 1.6000); Prospect Mountain (4-6, 1.6000, 13th); Monadnock (4-7, 1.5455, 14th); Newfound (1-8, 0.4444); Hillsboro-Deering (1-10, 0.3636); Somersworth (1-10, 0.3636); Berlin (0-10, 0.0000).

Tiebreakers

  • Hopkinton wins the tiebreaker with Kearsarge thanks to a better rating in head-to-head games.
  • Gilford wins the tiebreaker with Raymond thanks to a better quality of wins against tournament teams.
  • White Mountains wins the tiebreaker with Campbell thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • Stevens wins the tiebreaker with Newport thanks to a better rating in head-to-head games.
  • In a four-way tiebreaker, Belmont, Fall Mountain, Winnisquam and Prospect Mountain come out in that order thanks to ratings against tournament teams.

First-round byes

  • No. 1 Conant
  • No. 2 St. Thomas

First-round matchups

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

Division IV

Team (record, rating, last week)

  1. Profile (12-0, 4.0833, 2nd)
  2. Littleton (10-1, 3.7273, 1st)
  3. Derryfield (10-1, 3.6364, 3rd)
  4. Woodsville (9-2, 3.2727, 4th)
  5. Holy Family (9-3, 3.0000, 8th)
  6. Farmington (9-3, 3.0000, 7th)
  7. Franklin (8-4, 2.6667, 10th)
  8. Portsmouth Christian (7-4, 2.5455, 5th)
  9. Gorham (7-5, 2.4167, 9th)
  10. Colebrook (6-5, 2.2727, 11th)
  11. Groveton (6-6, 2.1667, 6th)
  12. Pittsburg-Canaan (5-5, 2.0000, 16th)
  13. Hinsdale (5-6, 1.9091, 14th)
  14. Moultonborough (5-6, 1.9091, 12th)
  15. Mascenic (4-5, 1.7778, 13th)
  16. Epping (5-7, 1.6667, NR)
  17. Concord Christian (5-7, 1.6667, NR)

Outside: Wilton-Lyndeborough (4-7, 1.4545, 17th); Newmarket (4-7, 1.4545); Sunapee (4-9, 1.2308, 15th); Nute (2-9, 0.7273); Lin-Wood (1-9, 0.4000), Mount Royal (1-10, 0.3636); Pittsfield (0-11, 0.0000).

Tiebreakers

  • Holy Family wins the tiebreaker with Farmington thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • Epping wins the tiebreaker with Concord Christian thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.

Opening Round (changes in bold)

  • No. 17 Concord Christian at No. 16 Epping

First-round matchups 

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

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