High school boys basketball preview and predictions

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 second-round 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. Top-seeded 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.

Danny V’s predictions

DIVISION 1 NORTH

CHAMP: Lynn English

RUNNER-UP: Lowell

SLEEPER: Waltham

BEST FIRST ROUND MATCHUP: Andover at Lawrence

POSSIBLE UPSET: Boston Latin over Chelsea

DIVISION 2 NORTH

CHAMP: Belmont

RUNNER-UP: Malden Catholic

SLEEPER: Winchester

BEST FIRST ROUND MATCHUP: Somerville at Billerica

POSSIBLE UPSET: Wakefield over Gloucester

DIVISION 3 NORTH

CHAMP: St. Mary’s

RUNNER-UP: Newburyport

SLEEPER: Weston

BEST FIRST ROUND MATCHUP: Dracut at Newburyport

POSSIBLE UPSET: Weston over Shawsheen

DIVISION 4 NORTH

CHAMP: Lowell Catholic

RUNNER-UP: Cristo Rey

SLEEPER: Bishop Fenwick

BEST FIRST ROUND MATCHUP: Mystic Valley at Lowell Catholic

POSSIBLE UPSET: Bishop Fenwick over Maimonides

DIVISION 1 SOUTH

CHAMP: Mansfield

RUNNER-UP: BC High

SLEEPER: Catholic Memorial

BEST FIRST ROUND MATCHUP: Newton South at Catholic Memorial

POSSIBLE UPSET: Taunton over Marshfield

DIVISION 2 SOUTH

CHAMP: Whitman-Hanson

RUNNER-UP: Scituate

SLEEPER: Randolph

BEST FIRST ROUND MATCHUP: Tech Boston at New Mission

POSSIBLE UPSET: North Quincy over Dighton-Rehoboth

DIVISION 3 SOUTH

CHAMP: Wareham

RUNNER-UP: Rockland

SLEEPER: Norwell

BEST FIRST ROUND MATCHUP: Bishop Stang at Burke

POSSIBLE UPSET: Cardinal Spellman over Dedham

DIVISION 4 SOUTH

CHAMP: Abington

RUNNER-UP: West Bridgewater

SLEEPER: Southeastern

BEST FIRST ROUND MATCHUP: Blue Hills at Abington

POSSIBLE UPSET: Southeastern over Upper Cape

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3bW5yG9