Winter Sports

Playoff Picture: Boys Basketball (Jan. 30)

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

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)

Bedford (11-0, 4.0000, 1st)
Pinkerton (10-1, 3.6364, 2nd)
Nashua South (8-3, 2.9091, 4th)
Trinity (8-3, 2.9091, 5th)
Portsmouth (7-3, 2.8000, 3rd)
Windham (7-3, 2.8000, 6th)
Nashua North (7-4, 2.5455, 9th)
Exeter (6-4, 2.4000, 8th)
Manchester Memorial (6-5, 2.1818, 7th)
Goffstown (5-5, 2.0000, 12th)
Dover (5-5, 2.0000, 13th)
Keene (5-6, 1.8182, 10th)
Alvirne (4-5, 1.7778, NR)
Londonderry (4-6, 1.6000, 14th)
Merrimack (4-6, 1.6000, 15th)

Outside: Salem (4-6, 1.6000, 11th); Bishop Guertin (4-7, 1.4545); Spaulding (4-7, 1.4545); Manchester Central (2-7, 0.8889); Winnacunnet (2-8, 0.8000); Timberlane (0-10, 0.0000); Concord (0-10, 0.0000).

Tiebreakers

Nashua South wins the tiebreaker with Trinity thanks to a head-to-head victory.
Portsmouth wins the tiebreaker with Windham thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
Goffstown wins the tiebreaker with Dover thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
In a three-way tiebreaker, Londonderry, Merrimack and Salem finish in that order thanks to rating against tournament teams.

First-round bye (changes in bold)

No. 1 Bedford

First-round matchups

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

Division II

Team (record, rating, last week)

Hanover (11-1, 3.6667, 1st)
Pelham (9-1, 3.6000, 2nd)
Pembroke (9-1, 3.6000, 3rd)
Coe-Brown (8-2, 3.2000, 5th)
Manchester West (7-2, 3.1111, 4th)
Bow (7-3, 2.8000, 7th)
Oyster River (6-4, 2.5000, 8th)
Plymouth (6-5, 2.1818, 10th)
Laconia (7-5, 2.3333, 6th)
Kennett (5-4, 2.2222, 9th)
Kingswood (5-5, 2.0000, 12th)
Merrimack Valley (5-6, 1.8182, 11th)
Sanborn (4-7, 1.4545, 13th)
Hollis Brookline (4-7, 1.4545, 14th)

Outside: Milford (4-7, 1.4545); John Stark (3-8, 1.0909); Lebanon (3-8, 1.0909); Souhegan (2-7, 0.8889); ConVal (0-9, 0.0000); Bishop Brady (0-10, 0.0000).

Tiebreakers

Pelham wins the tiebreaker with Pembroke thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
In a three-way tiebreaker, Sanborn, Hollis Brookline and Milford finish in that order thanks to ratings against tournament teams.

First-round byes (changes in bold)

No. 1 Hanover
No. 2 Pelham

First-round matchups

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

Division III

Team (record, rating, last week)

Conant (13-0, 4.0000, 1st)
St. Thomas (11-1, 3.6667, 2nd)
Mascoma Valley (9-1, 3.6000, 3rd)
Kearsarge (10-3, 3.0769, 5th)
Hopkinton (8-3, 2.9091, 4th)
White Mountains (8-5, 2.4615, 8th)
Campbell (7-5, 2.3333, 9th)
Raymond (6-5, 2.1818, 7th)
Inter-Lakes (6-5, 2.1818, 10th)
Gilford (7-6, 2.1538, 6th)
Fall Mountain (6-6, 2.0000, 14th)
Belmont (6-6, 2.0000, 13th)
Prospect Mountain (6-6, 2.0000, NR)
Monadnock (5-7, 1.7500, NR)

Outside: Stevens (5-7, 1.6667, 11th); Winnisquam (4-7, 1.4545); Newport (5-9, 1.4286, 12th); Somersworth (1-11, 0.3333); Newfound (1-11, 0.3333); Hillsboro-Deering (1-11, 0.3333); Berlin (0-14, 0.0000).

Tiebreakers

Raymond wins the tiebreaker with Inter-Lakes thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
In a three-way tiebreaker, Fall Mountain, Belmont and Prospect Mountain finish in that order thanks to ratings against tournament teams.

First-round byes

No. 1 Conant
No. 2 St. Thomas

First-round matchups

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

Division IV

Team (record, rating, last week)

Profile (13-0, 4.1538, 1st)
Littleton (12-1, 3.8462, 2nd)
Derryfield (11-1, 3.6667, 3rd)
Woodsville (12-2, 3.4286, 4th)
Farmington (11-3, 3.1429, 6th)
Holy Family (9-4, 2.7692, 5th)
Portsmouth Christian (8-5, 2.4615, 8th)
Franklin (8-5, 2.4615, 7th)
Gorham (7-6, 2.2308, 9th)
Groveton (7-7, 2.1429, 11th)
Colebrook (6-7, 1.9231, 10th)
Hinsdale (5-6, 1.9091, 13th)
Concord Christian (6-7, 1.8462, 17th)
Pittsburg-Canaan (5-6, 1.8182, 12th)
Moultonborough (5-7, 1.6667, 14th)
Newmarket (5-7, 1.6667, NR)
Epping (5-8, 1.5385, 16th)

Outside: Mascenic (5-8, 1.5385, 15th); Wilton-Lyndeborough (4-8, 1.3333); Sunapee (4-9, 1.2308); Nute (2-10, 0.6667); Lin-Wood (2-10, 0.6667); Pittsfield (1-11, 0.3333); Mount Royal (1-13, 0.2857).

Tiebreakers

Moultonborough wins the tiebreaker with Newmarket thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
Epping wins the tiebreaker with Mascenic thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.

Opening Round (changes in bold)