The sprint to the finish of the NJSIAA girls basketball season gets underway on Wednesday as 70 South Jersey teams compete for nine different South Jersey, Central Jersey and Non-Public sectional titles.
Groups 2 and 4 begin first-round play on Tuesday, followed by Groups 1 and 3 on Wednesday. The Non-Publics begin on Thursday for Group A and Friday for Group B.
Here is a breakdown of the sectional brackets involving South Jersey schools.
South Jersey Group 4
Bracket: (16) Pennsauken at (1) Lenape; (9) Washington Township at (8) Southern; (12) Millville at (5) Eastern; (13) Rancocas Valley at (4) Cherokee; (14) Bridgeton at (3) Howell; (11) Cherry Hill East at (6) Atlantic City; (10) Central at (7) Kingsway; (15) Vineland at (2) Egg Harbor
Defending champion: Cherokee
Favorite: Lenape. The Indians have blitzed through most of their schedule and have three wins against the defending champs.
Best first round matchup: Cherry Hill East at Atlantic City. This is a classic clash of styles pitting a deliberate Olympic Conference team against a fast-paced Cape-Atlantic League group.
Three stars:Brielle Alaba, Cherokee. The Chiefs' star is working hard to come back from an injury that has sidelined her since Feb. 3. El-Anita Joe-Samuel, Lenape. The Indians' junior star has already topped 1,000 points and is the most dynamic player in the bracket. Elaina Kraybill, Egg Harbor. The Eagles' double-double machine has reached that mark 13 times this season.
Prediction: Lenape. The best game in the bracket could be a semifinal with Cherokee before a probable final against Howell.
South Jersey Group 3
Bracket: (16) Cumberland at (1) Cherry Hill West; (9) Clearview at (8) Delsea; (12) Absegami at (5) Hammonton; (13) Ocean City at (4) Shawnee; (14) Winslow at (3) Mainland; (11) Triton at (6) Toms River East; (10) Timber Creek at (7) Toms River South; (15) Seneca at (2) Moorestown
Defending champion: Cherry Hill West
Favorite: Cherry Hill West. The defending state champ Lions reinvented themselves this winter while positioning for a repeat.
Best first round matchup: Clearview at Delsea. A pair of Tri-County Conference members, who haven't met in a crossover game are pitted against each other with both teams looking to improve their win total into the high teens.
Three stars:Kirsten Gibson, Cherry Hill West. The Lions' star has averaged 23.5 points per game while defending a state title. Analyse Intenzo, Moorestown. With nearly 1,600 points and more than 225 3-pointers, the Quakers senior is a handful to stop. Jenna Vivadelli, Hammonton. The Blue Devils' junior has a 15.2 average and led her team to 17 wins to start the season.
Prediction: Cherry Hill West. The Lions split a pair of home games against Moorestown and will likely have to hold serve in the final.
South Jersey Group 2
Bracket: (1) Middle Township, bye; (9) Pleasantville at (8) Cedar Creek; (12) Gloucester at (5) Collingswood; (13) Barnegat at (4) Haddonfield; (14) Willingboro at (3) Haddon Heights; (11) Sterling at (6) Manchester Township; (10) Lower Cape May at (7) West Deptford; (15) Medford Tech at (2) Cinnaminson
Defending champion: Middle Township
Favorite: Middle Township. It'll be hard to bet against the Panthers, especially with home court advantage through the South Jersey final.
Best first round matchup: Pleasantville at Cedar Creek. These teams are very familiar with each other, With the Greyhounds sweeping two games by a total of five points.
Three stars:Emma Harris, Haddon Heights. The Garnet's junior has scored at a 22.3-point rate with 52 3-pointers. Shiloh Moore, Cinnaminson. At her current 16.8 scoring rate, the Pirates' senior could reach 1,000 career points in the first quarter of her first-round game. Reagen Powell, Middle Township. The Panthers' senior has a 15.9 scoring average and more than 1,200 career points.
Prediction: Middle Township. The Panthers appear to be on a collision course with Cinnaminson, which leads the state in wins.
South Jersey Group 1
Bracket: (16) Paulsboro at (1) Haddon Township; (9) Burlington City at (8) Woodbury; (12) New Egypt at (5) Palmyra; (13) Cape May County Tech at (4) Glassboro; (14) Salem at (3) Audubon; (11) Woodstown at (6) Pennsville; (10) Schalick at (7) Gateway; (15) Clayton at (2) Wildwood
Defending champion: Haddon Township
Favorite: Haddon Township. The Hawks have an almost completely new lineup but the defending champs are in good position to repeat.
Best first round matchup: Schalick at Gateway. Both teams have completely turned around their programs, winning at least 14 games after losing seasons last winter.
Three stars:Rebecca Benichou, Wildwood. The Warriors' junior has already topped 1,000 career points and 200 3-pointers. Kezia Brackett, Glassboro. The Bulldogs' junior has been all but unstoppable, while scoring just shy of 23 points per game. Kierstyn Callahan, Haddon Township. The Hawks' senior leader has filled that role perfectly, while reaching 1,000 career points earlier this month.
Prediction: Wildwood. The Warriors will likely have to make the trip to Haddon Township, but this could be their year.
Central Jersey Playoffs
South Jersey matchups: Central Jersey Group 3: (9) Westampton Tech at (8) Allentown, (16) Northern Burlington at (1) Colts Neck; CJ2: (10) Delran at (7) Point Pleasant Borough, (12) Robbinsville at (5) Bordentown; CJ1: (11) Florence at (6) Roselle Park
Defending champions:CJ3: Neptune; CJ2: Manasquan; CJ1: New Providence
Favorites: CJ3: Colts Neck, CJ2: Manasquan, CJ1: New Providence. Neptune dropped into Group 2 where they'll probably face off with Manasquan.
Best South Jersey matchup: Robbinsville at Bordentown. By all rights, the Scotties should be able to advance to a quarterfinal game and set up a strong playoff run.
Three stars:Ciara Knight, Bordentown. A 14.4 point per game scorer, Knight is the straw that stirs the Scotties' drink. Bree Sunkett, Westampton Tech. At more than 11 points per game, the Panthers' junior has been her team's leader. Lily Theis, Delran. The Bears' junior is averaging more than 16 points per game with 15 straight games in double figures.
Prediction: Bordentown is South Jersey's lone first-round host in the Central brackets and a CJ Group 2 semifinal game would be a good result.
South Jersey Non-Public A
Bracket: (1) Red Bank Catholic, bye; (9) Princeton Day at (8) Union Catholic; (12) Our Lady of Mercy at (5) Trinity Hall; (13) Immaculata at (4) St. Thomas Aquinas; (14) Mount St. Mary at (3) Paul VI; (11) Notre Dame at (6) Camden Catholic; (10) St. Rose at (7) Bishop Eustace; (15) Donovan Catholic at (2) St. John Vianney
Defending champion: Paul VI
Favorite: Red Bank Catholic. The Caseys held on to top Vianney in the Shore Conference Tournament for a 2-1 edge in the season series.
Best first round matchup: Notre Dame at Camden Catholic. Mercer County's best South to take on one of the Olympic Conference's best. We can guarantee an Irish win, just not which one.
Three stars:Edore Pela, Camden Catholic. The Irish sophomore has averaged 15 and a half points a game with 59 3-pointers. Brooke Stagliano, Paul VI. The Eagles' leading scorer, at 16.5 per game, should score her 1,000th career point early in the playoffs. Acadia Walters, Bishop Eustace. The Crusaders' junior has scored nearly 13 points per game and 1,200 career points.
Prediction: St. John Vianney. Paul VI doesn't seem to match up with the Lancers height in a likely semifinal, but if the Eagles spring an upset, Red Bank Catholic is the prize in the final.
South Jersey Non-Public B
Bracket: (1) Rutgers Prep, bye; (9) Holy Cross Prep at (8) Doane Academy; (12) Noor-ul-Iman at (5) Stuart Day; (4) Holy Spirit, bye; (3) Wildwood Catholic, bye; (11) Ranney at (6) Moorestown Friends; (10) Calvary Christian at (7) Koinonia; (2) Gloucester Catholic, bye
Defending champion:Gloucester Catholic
Favorite: Rutgers Prep. The Argonauts have two losses to teams that have also beaten Gloucester Catholic in Archbishop Carroll and Red Bank Catholic.
Best first round matchup:Holy Cross Prep at Doane Academy. It's not often that two South Jersey teams face off right away in Non-Public B, never mind that the reward for a win is facing the top seed.
Three stars: Lauren Cella, Holy Spirit. The Spartans' senior crossed the 1,000-career point mark on Feb. 18. Dani Daley, Wildwood Catholic. The Crusaders' sophomore is closing in on 850 career points with a 19.6 average this season. Jahzara Green, Gloucester Catholic. The defending South Jersey Player of the Year has been even better as a senior.
Prediction:Gloucester Catholic. The Rams' will probably meet Rutgers' Prep but have built their schedule to be prepared for the opportunity to spring an upset.
Tom Rimback grew up reading the Burlington County Times and Courier Post sports sections and began writing for the BCT in 1996. He has covered everything from Super Bowls and Final Fours to Tri-County Swimming but he’s happiest on a sideline interviewing South Jersey scholastic athletes. Follow him on twitter @Rimbacksports. Email him with story ideas at [email protected] and, most importantly, support local journalism with a subscription to the Courier-Post.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: HS girls basketball - 2025 Playoff preview for South Jersey teams.