2026 South Jersey high school boys basketball group-by-group playoff predictions

Atlantic City's Don'Taye Thompson (1) attempts a shot against St. Augustine in the Battle at the Bay boys' basketball game at Atlantic City High School in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Friday, February 6, 2026. Collin Conway/D2 Sports Network

The road to Rutgers University begins on Wednesday.

The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association's public high school boys' basketball playoffs begin for Groups 1 and 3 on Wednesday, February 25. Groups 2 and 4 will begin postseason competition on Thursday, February 26.

Throughout the sectional playoffs, the higher seed will host each game. Once South Jersey champions are crowned in each of the public high school groups, those teams will play the respective Central Jersey champions at a predetermined neutral site in the state semifinals for each group, per the NJSIAA.

The NJSIAA's non-public high school boys' basketball playoffs begin for Group A on Thursday, February 26. Group B will begin postseason competition on Friday, February 27.

Throughout the sectional playoffs, the higher seed will host each game until the sectional final for South Jersey Non-Public A and South Jersey Non-Public B. Sectional championships will be held at a predetermined neutral site, per the NJSIAA.

Once South Jersey champions are crowned in each of the non-public high school groups, those teams will play the respective North Jersey champions in the non-public state championships. The state finals for Non-Public Groups A and B will take place at Rutgers University's Jersey Mike's Arena on Thursday, March 12.

The state finals for Groups 2 and 4 will take place at Rutgers on March 14. State championships for Groups 1 and 3 will be hosted at Rutgers on March 15.

Here are group-by-group, round-by-round predictions by South Jersey Sports Zone's Kevin Emmons in each South Jersey public and non-public high school group:

South Jersey Group 1

First round predictions:

(1) Salem defeats (16) Riverside

(8) Woodstown defeats (9) Paulsboro

(12) Glassboro upsets (5) Burlington City

(4) KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy defeats (13) Wildwood

(11) Pitman upsets (6) Penns Grove

(3) Haddon Township defeats (14) New Egypt

(7) Woodbury defeats (10) Audubon

(2) Palmyra defeats (15) Gateway

Quarterfinals predictions:

(1) Salem edges (8) Woodstown

(4) KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy defeats (12) Glassboro

(3) Haddon Township defeats (11) Pitman

(7) Woodbury defeats (2) Palmyra

Semifinals predictions:

(1) Salem defeats (4) KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy

(7) Woodbury edges (3) Haddon Township

Sectional final prediction:

(7) Woodbury over (1) Salem

South Jersey Group 2

First round predictions:

(1) Haddonfield defeats (16) West Deptford

(9) Haddon Heights edges (8) Cedar Creek

(5) Gloucester City edges (12) Sterling

(4) Middle Township defeats (13) Barnegat

(6) Overbrook defeats (11) Pleasantville

(3) Lower Cape May defeats (14) Pennsauken Tech

(7) Eastside defeats (10) Mastery Charter

(2) Camden defeats (15) Cinnaminson

Quarterfinals predictions:

(1) Haddonfield defeats (9) Haddon Heights

(4) Middle Township defeats (5) Gloucester City

(6) Overbrook defeats (3) Lower Cape May

(2) Camden edges (7) Eastside

Semifinals predictions:

(4) Middle Township defeats (1) Haddonfield

(2) Camden edges (6) Overbrook

Sectional final prediction:

(2) Camden edges (4) Middle Township

South Jersey Group 3

First round predictions:

(1) Deptford defeats (16) Triton

(8) Seneca defeats (9) Clearview

(5) Cumberland edges (12) Toms River East

(4) Delsea defeats (13) Pinelands

(11) Winslow Township upsets (6) Timber Creek

(3) Ocean City defeats (14) Hammonton

(10) Moorestown defeats (7) Toms River South

(2) Shawnee edges (15) Mainland

Quarterfinals predictions:

(1) Deptford edges (8) Seneca

(5) Cumberland edges (4) Delsea

(3) Ocean City defeats (11) Winslow Township

(10) Moorestown edges (2) Shawnee

Semifinals predictions:

(5) Cumberland upsets (1) Deptford

(3) Ocean City defeats (10) Moorestown

Sectional final prediction:

(3) Ocean City defeats (5) Cumberland

South Jersey Group 4

First round predictions:

(1) Cherry Hill East defeats (16) Toms River North

(9) Williamstown defeats (8) Cherokee

(5) Howell defeats (12) Millville

(4) Atlantic City edges (13) Southern

(6) Kingsway edges (11) Rancocas Valley

(3) Eastern defeats (14) Gloucester Tech

(7) Vineland edges (10) Central Regional

(2) Lenape defeats (15) Pennsauken

Quarterfinals predictions:

(9) Williamstown upsets (1) Cherry Hill East

(4) Atlantic City edges (5) Howell

(3) Eastern defeats (6) Kingsway

(2) Lenape defeats (7) Vineland

Semifinals predictions:

(4) Atlantic City edges (9) Williamstown

(3) Eastern edges (2) Lenape

Sectional final prediction:

(3) Eastern defeats (4) Atlantic City

South Jersey Non-Public A

First round predictions:

(9) Union Catholic defeats (8) St. Augustine

(5) Red Bank Catholic defeats (12) St. John Vianney

(4) St. Joseph-Metuchen defeats (13) Donovan Catholic

(11) St. Thomas Aquinas upsets (6) Immaculata

(3) St. Peter's Prep defeats (14) Notre Dame

(7) Camden Catholic edges (10) Pingry

Quarterfinals predictions:

(1) Paul VI edges (9) Union Catholic

(4) St. Joseph-Metuchen defeats (5) Red Bank Catholic

(3) St. Peter's Prep defeats (11) St. Thomas Aquinas

(2) Christian Brothers edges (7) Camden Catholic

Semifinals predictions:

(4) St. Joseph-Metuchen edges (1) Paul VI

(3) St. Peter's Prep edges (2) Christian Brothers

Sectional final prediction:

(3) St. Peter's Prep edges (4) St. Joseph-Metuchen

South Jersey Non-Public B

First round predictions:

(9) Princeton Day edges (8) St. Rose

(5) Bishop Eustace defeats (12) Noor-ul-iman

(4) Doane Academy defeats (13) Moorestown Friends

(6) Ranney defeats (11) Calvary Christian

(7) Gloucester Catholic edges (10) Wildwood Catholic

Quarterfinals predictions:

(1) Rutgers Prep defeats (9) Princeton Day

(4) Doane Academy edges (5) Bishop Eustace

(3) Holy Spirit edges (6) Ranney

(2) Holy Cross Prep defeats (7) Gloucester Catholic

Semifinals predictions:

(1) Rutgers Prep defeats (4) Doane Academy

(2) Holy Cross Prep defeats (3) Holy Spirit

Sectional final prediction:

(1) Rutgers Prep defeats (2) Holy Cross Prep