The regular season is coming to a close here soon as we turn our attention towards our favorite time of year: playoff basketball.

 Division III finishes its regular season next week and Division IV will follow suit not too far after that.

 We will take a dive into bracketology next week to try and predict the seeding and matchups for both divisions.

 Today's column is brought to you by our friends and partners Exeter Hospital-Core Physicans!

 

Division I

Division I Standings and Scoring Leaders

Gold Level Coaches/Programs: Kevin Gibbs of Bedford, Ricky Oliver of Salem, Nate Bracy of Goffstown, Kaylene Rogers of Exeter, Lani Buskey of Pinkerton, Lauren Gaudette of Manchester Memorial, and Frank Girginis of Alvirne

1. Bedford: Even when you think the Bulldogs are slowing down, evident in an 8-point first quarter against Nashua South, they respond, following that up with a 33-3 second quarter. This team has repeatedly delivered, and now they are preparing for a rematch with Pinkerton on Monday.

2. Londonderry: The Lancers went on the road and took down rival Pinkerton 56-45. We talked about the defense of this group needing to step up in the mid-season snapshot, and Gemma Murray and Brooke Eacrett led that charge against the Astros last Friday. Sammie Sullivan continues to shoot the lights out, and her offense was on full display in their 57-40 win over Windham on Tuesday. This big two-week stretch continues with a trip to Concord Christian on Saturday.

3. Pinkerton: The Astros got back in the win column behind a team-high 22 points from Mia Marshall in a 77-53 victory over Exeter. Her recent emerging play gives the Astros another reliable scoring option to pair with Syd Gerossie, Brooke Benz, and Kaylee Dupuis. Windham on Friday will be the start of a challenging end-of-the-season stretch. This group will be ready for it.

4. Windham: Windham has hopes of staying in contention for a top-four seed alongside the Astros and CCA. The key against Pinkerton will be dictating pace. You don't want to get in a shootout with a team like Pinkerton. If they can make this a half-court game they should have a shot.

5. Concord Christian: The Kingsmen went on the road and won at a tough venue in Portsmouth for their sixth straight victory. They have the scoring punch to play with a team like Londonderry, so this will be an interesting contest to follow. That will mark their last home game of the regular season as they go on the road for their last four games.

6. Bishop Guertin: The Cardinals are at their best when everyone is involved on offense. They have the depth and talent to have a different leading scorer every night and with their recent play, they are starting to look like a serious threat in the top half of the division.

7. Salem: Salem snapped a three-game skid with a 72-33 win over Concord on Tuesday. They return to Portsmouth for the first time since their loss in the quarterfinals. Portsmouth has the defenders to try and contain this Blue Devils group, but their offense could prove to be too much in the end.

8. Exeter: With six games remaining and sitting at 6-6, this next stretch will dictate if Exeter can get a favorable round one matchup or not. This is a group talented enough to be in the top eight, but they will need a strong finish if they don't want to finish as a double-digit seed.

9. Portsmouth: The Clippers are hanging on to a top-eight seed at the moment, but their remaining five games feature four playoff teams. This team is successful when they score off their defense. They will need a strong effort on that end of the floor to try and take down Salem on Friday.

10. Nashua North: Before a 55-52 loss to Alvirne, the Titans had won five straight, featuring wins over both Portsmouth and Nashua South. The return of a healthy Aiden Walker has given this lineup a nice boost alongside the consistent scoring of Lily Small and Angie King. Freshman Madelyn Tino has showcased great two-way ability so far as well. This could be a sneaky team in the postseason.

 

Division II

Division II Standings and Scoring Leaders

Gold Level Coaches/Programs: Dan O'Rourke of Hanover, Bryan Wall of Oyster River, Joe Vachon of Coe-Brown, and Greg Cotreau of Souhegan

1. Derryfield: We will be in the house for a big-time showdown between the lone undefeated teams in Division II in Derryfield and Laconia. Bre McCabe and Tia Ferdinando can spread you out with their ability to hit from deep, and the play of Anna Fazelat has given this team the extra boost they didn't have a season ago. Katie McCormick went for a season-high 12 points against Kingswood on Tuesday. She is one of the many veterans that have played a vital role in their success this season.

2. Laconia: The experience of Macy Swormstedt has rubbed off on this group who has exceeded expectations with a 10-0 start. They are no stranger to tight games, with their average margin of victory over top ten teams being just five points. They have been in these types of games before and they should be in for a showdown with Derryfield on Friday.

3. Oyster River: The Bobcats have found a good rhythm the last two weeks and have a great opportunity to get two home playoff games. Vivian O'Quinn and Olivia Andersen are as good as they come when it comes to one-two punches in this division, with the duo averaging 38 points combined over their three-game win streak. 

4. Milford: The return of LuLu Maguire gives the Spartans six players capable of scoring double digits on any given night. They have won three straight and will need all their firepower locked and loaded for a trip to Bow on Friday.

5. Bow: The Falcons have arguably their toughest stretch of the season coming up with Milford on Friday and road trips to Oyster River, Pelham, and Pembroke on the docket. This team has been able to lean on their defense when they have needed to, and they will need a strong effort on that end of the floor with a strong offensive force in Milford.

6. Pembroke: The Spartans bounced back with a 44-37 win over Merrimack Valley behind strong performances from Anne Phillips, Kate Stephens, and Kaitlin Arenella. When those three are rolling, this team is a tough out.

7. Merrimack Valley: Emma McNutt put together the best scoring output of her freshman season with 17 points in a win on the road at Bow. Kayla Smith chipped in with 23 points as well for a statement-type win for the Pride. They remain a team in the mix for a top-six seed.

8. Pelham: The Pythons broke a three-game skid with a 43-33 win over Plymouth. Health has not been on the side of Pelham as of late, but if they can get right for this stretch run they have a roster that can compete with the top half of this division.

9. Lebanon: Hello Raiders! Lebanon sits at 5-5 but with Wins over Pelham and Coe-Brown, they propel into the top ten for the first time this season. Summer Crowell has been on a tear as of late, averaging 20 points during the win streak. They have been in a lot of close games throughout the year, and seem to be putting things together at the right time.

10. Coe-Brown: The Bears' second-half schedule will be one of the more challenging ones in the division, with MV, Milford, Oyster River, Pelham, and Pembroke making up their next five games. These next few weeks could be make or break for Coe-Brown to stay in top eight contention. 

 

Division III

Division III Standings and Scoring Leaders

Gold Level Coaches/Programs: Mike Mahoney of Hopkinton, Matthew Baird-Torney of Fall Mountain, Scott Currier of Gilford, Tom Bourdeau of Raymond, Kevin Giannino of St. Thomas, Chris Foss of White Mountains, and Don Picard of Berlin

1. St. Thomas: The Saints continue to look a step above the rest following a 60-27 win over Gilford, fueled by a 21-0 start in the first quarter. They have shooting, they have size, they have speed, this team has all the pieces to win a title. We will see how they finish out the remaining three games of the regular season. 

2. Fall Mountain: Fall Mountain's defense was on full display on Tuesday, holding Monadnock to zero points in the fourth quarter en route to a 34-26 win. The Wildcats have not lost since we saw them in Newport, and they will take their five-game win streak to Hopkinton on Friday. 

3. Newport: The Tigers were able to rally for a 47-41 win over Stevens after all-state guard Taylor Fellows went down with an injury. Her status is up in the air, and that could certainly change their playoff projection, but Skylar Nelson stepped up when this group needed her most with a season-high 17 points in the victory and she could help keep this team afloat offensively alongside Zoey Lord.

4. Monadnock: This group showed out defensively against Hopkinton, holding the Hawks to a season-low 27 points. Shaylee Branon did a terrific job disrupting the offensive flow of Hopkinton and didn't let Shaylee Murdough get any separation for open looks. Bailee Soucia did a great job getting to the basket and kicking out to open shooters. Their offense will need to level up in the postseason, but this defense is playoff-ready.

5. Hopkinton: The Hawks struggled to get shots with Shaylee Murdough being face-guarded, and that is something I am sure Mike Mahoney and Skate Murdough are taking to the drawing board for the postseason. As always, the schedule is a tough one for Hopkinton, and they will need a strong outing against Fall Mountain to stay in play for a top-four seed.

6. Gilford: We will get to see the Golden Eagles for the first time this season when they take on a Conant team playing some of their best basketball as of late. When this team can get out in transition they are tough to stop. Let's see if Olivia Keenan and Gilford can force the issue on Friday night.

7. Prospect Mountain: The Timberwolves still have the opportunity to get two home playoff games if they can go at least 3-1 down the stretch. Madelyn Howlett and Ava Foster have gotten better and gained more confidence as the season has gone along. It will be interesting to see what this young group can do in the postseason.

8. Conant: Conant gets Gilford on Friday and back-to-back games with Fall Mountain next week. This team would love a home playoff game at The Pratt, and the eighth seed is still in play depending on how these next three games go. They match up well with Gilford on the wings. Winning the margins will be important in this one.

9. White Mountains: The Spartans got the best of rival Berlin on the road behind a balanced offensive effort from Olivia Lorenz (14 points), Harper Rowe (11 points), and Emma Simpson (10 points). This was a game White Mountains needed to stay in the top eight conversation as they look to try and win out the rest of the way.

10. Berlin: The offensive woes got the best of the Mountaineers against White Mountains as they find themselves in a crowd of five loss teams. If they can win their last three a home game is a possibility, but this group might be destined for a road game in the first round. 

 

Division IV 

Division IV Standings and Scoring Leaders

Gold Level Coaches/Programs: Jim Tucker of Sunapee, Derek Tremblay of Mount Royal, Tim Haskins of Groveton, Duane Call of Colebrook, and Dale Prior of Littleton

1. Littleton: The Crusaders will look to lock up the top seed once again, but will have to get through three of their rivals to do so, starting with Woodsville on Friday night. It was a five-point game the last time these two sides met, but on a bigger floor, this team could get out and run early.

2. Holy Family: With five games to go, Holy Family looks like they are on their way to a top-four finish, but a trip to Franklin and a visit from Newmarket still await. 

3. Groveton:  A good old Groveton-Colebrook showdown will be taking place on Friday night and the Eagles will need this one to stay in line with Holy Family. Mylee Kenison scored a season-high 14 points in a win over Moultonborough, and they will need that consistent offensive contribution with Delaney Whiting seeing a lot of different looks from the Colebrook defense on Friday.

4. Colebrook: The Mohawks had a slow start the last time they saw Groveton, falling behind 34-13 after the first half. They will need 32 minutes of good basketball to try and get the win over their rivals, and Haley Rossitto and Lexi Santamaria may need to go for 20-plus points each to do so.

5. Farmington: The Tigers travel to Franklin in what could be a potential playoff preview on Friday night.

6. Newmarket: After they take on Hinsdale Friday, the Mules will embark on a stretch of PCA, Farmington, and Holy Family to wrap up the regular season. They have defeated the Eagles before, the Tigers handed them a 21-point loss, and this will be the first time they see the Griffins this season. 2-1 should be the goal for these three contests. If they can do that they are looking at potentially two games at home for the playoffs.

7. Franklin: Franklin split the season series with Farmington last season, and will try and get their lone matchup with them on the road this season. Farmington is one of the toughest gyms to play in, but if Kourtney Kaplan can get comfortable early this group is capable of getting a win like this on the road. They have already matched their win total from last season, but a win like this could make this season a special one. 

8. Portsmouth Christian: The Eagles will look to bounce back from a 46-23 loss to Newmarket before they see the Mules again on Monday. Before that, Ava Buchanan will look to join the 1,000-point club when PCA takes on Nute this Friday.

9. Woodsville: The Engineers could use a nice run to end the regular season, and that will start with a trip up the road to rival Littleton. Makayla Walker will need to try and control the pace and take care of the basketball to keep within striking distance. Paige Royer has been a matchup problem for a lot of teams. If she can get going against a top-tier Littleton defense this group could make this a ballgame.

10. Pittsburg-Canaan: The Yellow Jackets have five games to try and improve their seeding, but regardless of where they finish they should feel confident going on the road in the first round. They will take on Lisbon this Friday to try and get back in the win column.