Lynn English, Lowell in front
Lynn English and Lowell have been the top dogs of high school basketball all season long.
If form holds true, the two will have a chance to settle the question of who is truly the No. 1 team in Eastern Mass. on the court in two weeks. Defending state champion Lynn English and undefeated Lowell are on opposite sides of the Division 1 North bracket, though the road to the sectional final won’t be easy.
Lowell might well back looking at a possible quarterfinal tilt with Merrimack Valley Conference rival Central Catholic, while Cambridge and Everett lurk in the top side of the draw. Lynn English could draw a very dangerous secondround tilt against the winner of the Lawrence-Andover tilt, while Waltham turned in its best season in years and shouldn’t be overlooked.
In Div.1 South, Mansfield is looking to get back to get to the TD Garden behind a solid starting unit. The upper half of its draw isn’t easy as Attleboro, Brookline, Needham and Newton North are all dangerous.
Loved the way BC High played down the stretch, though the Eagles could face archrival Catholic Memorial in the quarters. Brockton has the talent to break through, but the Boxers have been inconsistent at times.
Belmont captured the Div. 2 North title last year and has enough left in the tank to get back there. Middlesex League rival Burlington had its best seasons in ages, while Wakefield and Winchester have had its moments.
Latin Academy won 19 games and made it to the Boston City League finals, so the Dragons have tasted success. Top-seed Beverly’s only losses have come to Lowell and Lynn English, while Malden Catholic is a team no one is relishing meeting up with.
Tech Boston will be looking for a three-peat in Div. 2, but won’t find it easy in the South. The Bears drew a very dangerous opening round foe in Boston City
League rival New Mission in the opening round, then potentially a 20-win Westwood team in the quarters.
Whitman-Hanson certainly opened some eyes by knocking off Brockton and Mansfield in the final week of the regular season. Patriot League foe Scituate figures to be the prime competition in the upper half of the draw, while Randolph could be a sleeper.
St. Mary’s enters the Div. 3 North tournament as the favorite, though the Spartans have struggled in that role the past two years. Steve Harrington may have done his best coaching job to get 14 wins from an inexperienced Watertown squad.
Defending champion Dracut drew a talented Newburyport squad in the opener. The survivor of this game could very well wind up in the sectional finals.
Plenty of teams are capable of winning Div. 3 South, a far cry from recent years when there was no more than 2-3 legitimate contenders. Topseeded Rockland put together an impressive 18-2 season and has to be considered one of the favorites.
Defending sectional Bishop Stang played its best ball down the stretch, but didn’t get any favor with an opening round contest with Burke. South Coast Conference perennial power Wareham is another team worth watching in this section along with Norton.
The Div. 4 North could very well be the Catholic Central League Invitational as Austin Prep, Lowell Catholic, Bishop Fenwick and Cristo Rey are very talented and possess the goods to get to the TD Garden. Manchester-Essex is one team capable of cracking the Catholic school monopoly here.
Abington went on a memorable ride to the Div. 4 state final last year and would love nothing better than a repeat performance. The Green Wave, however, didn’t get the easiest draw with Cohasset and Bishop Connolly lurking on the top side of the draw. On the other side, Westport, Old Colony and West Bridgewater bare watching.