Winter Sports

Playoff Picture: Boys Basketball (March 3)

It is the final week of the regular season in Division I and II boys basketball, but there is still plenty to sort through before the playoffs begin. Every day this week, we'll take a look at where each division stands as teams continue to battle for seeding. Note: With the NHIAA’s 70-percent rule i

It is the final week of the regular season in Division I and II boys basketball, but there is still plenty to sort through before the playoffs begin.

Every day this week, we'll take a look at where each division stands as teams continue to battle for seeding.

Note: With the NHIAA’s 70-percent rule in place for the postseason, all divisions will have 15 teams make the playoffs, except for Division III, which will have 14 teams. Standings based off results reported to NHIAA.org and other media outlets. Pairings for D3 and D4 have already been released and can be found here.

Division I

Playoff field (record, rating, previous)

Exeter (15-1, 3.7500, 1st)
Portsmouth (14-2, 3.5000, 2nd)
Bishop Guertin (14-3, 3.2941, 3rd)
Nashua North (12-4, 3.0000, 4th)
Merrimack (11-5, 2.7500, 5th)
Bedford (10-6, 2.5000, 6th)
Nashua South (10-6, 2.5000, 7th)
Keene (10-6, 2.5000, 8th)
Winnacunnet (10-7, 2.3529, 9th)
Windham (8-7, 2.1333, 10th)
Concord (8-8, 2.0000, 11th)
Alvirne (8-8, 2.0000 12th)
Manchester Central (8-9, 1.8824, 15th)
Goffstown (7-9, 1.7500, 13th)
Salem (7-9, 1.7500, 14th)

Outside: Dover (7-10, 1.6471)

Eliminated: Manchester Memorial (4-12, 1.0000); Spaulding (4-12, 1.0000); Londonderry (4-12, 1.0000); Trinity (3-13, 0.7500); Timberlane (2-14, 0.5000); Pinkerton (1-16, 0.2353).

Tiebreakers

In a three-way tiebreaker, Bedford finishes ahead of Nashua South and Keene thanks to a better quality of wins against tournament teams. Nashua South finishes ahead of Keene thanks to a better quality of wins against tournament teams.
Concord wins the tiebreaker with Alvirne thanks to a head-to-head victory.
Goffstown wins the tiebreaker with Salem thanks to a head-to-head victory.

Remaining schedule

Tuesday, March 3: Windham at Winnacunnet; 6:30 p.m.; Alvirne at Keene, 6:30 p.m.; Bedford at Salem, 6:30 p.m.; Bishop Guertin at Portsmouth, 6:30 p.m.; Concord at Trinity, 6:30 p.m.; Exeter at Dover, 6:30 p.m.; Merrimack at Timberlane, 6:30 p.m.; Spaulding at Nashua North, 6:30 p.m.; Goffstown at Londonderry, 7 p.m.; Nashua South at Manchester Memorial, 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 5: Windham at Spaulding, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, March 6: Merrimack at Bedford, 6:30 p.m.; Pinkerton at Timberlane, 6:30 p.m.; Trinity at Exeter, 6:30 p.m.; Concord at Goffstown, 6:30 p.m.; Keene at Windham, 6:30 p.m.; Nashua South at Portsmouth, 6:30 p.m.; Alvirne at Manchester Memorial, 7 p.m.; Nashua North at Londonderry, 7 p.m.

First-round bye (changes in bold)

No. 1 Exeter

First-round matchups

No. 9 Winnacunnet at No. 8 Keene
No. 13 Manchester Central at No. 4 Nashua North
No. 12 Alvirne at No. 5 Merrimack
No. 15 Salem at No. 2 Portsmouth
No. 10 Windham at No. 7 Nashua South
No. 14 Goffstown at No. 3 Bishop Guertin
No. 11 Concord at No. 6 Bedford

Division II

Playoff field (record, rating, previous)

ConVal (16-1, 3.7647, 1st)
Bow (15-1, 3.7500, 2nd)
Hanover (15-2, 3.5294, 3rd)
Pelham (14-3, 3.2941, 5th)
Hollis Brookline (14-3, 3.2941, 6th)
Lebanon (14-3, 3.2941, 4th)
Kennett (11-6, 2.6471, 7th)
Manchester West (9-7, 2.2500, 8th)
Milford (9-8, 2.1176, 9th)
Oyster River (8-8, 2.0625, 10th)
Souhegan (8-8, 2.0000, 11th)
Kearsarge (8-9, 1.8824, 13th)
Sanborn (7-9, 1.7500, 12th)
Kingswood (7-9, 1.7500, 14th)
Laconia (6-10, 1.5000, 15th)

Outside: Coe-Brown (5-12, 1.1765); John Stark (5-12, 1.1765); Pembroke (5-12, 1.1765).

Eliminated: Stevens (3-13, 0.7500); Bishop Brady (3-14, 0.7059); Merrimack Valley (2-16, 0.4444); Plymouth (1-15, 0.2500).

Tiebreakers

In a three-way tiebreaker, Pelham finishes ahead of Hollis Brookline and Lebanon thanks to a better rating against tournament teams. Hollis Brookline finishes ahead of Lebanon thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
Sanborn wins the tiebreaker with Kingswood thanks to a head-to-head victory.

Remaining schedule

Tuesday, March 3: Bishop Brady at Laconia, 6 p.m.; Bow at Plymouth, 6 p.m.; Manchester West at Kingswood, 6 p.m.; Sanborn at Oyster River, 6:30 p.m.; Stevens at Souhegan, 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 4: Oyster River at Coe-Brown, 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 5: John Stark at Manchester West, 6 p.m.; Kennett at Kingswood, 6 p.m.; Stevens at Kearsarge, 6 p.m.; Laconia at Plymouth, 6 p.m.; ConVal at Souhegan, 6:30 p.m.; Hollis Brookline at Milford, 6:30 p.m.; Lebanon at Hanover, 6:30 p.m.; Sanborn at Pelham, 6:30 p.m.; Pembroke at Bow, 7 p.m.

First-round bye (changes in bold)