Here are the pairings for the Tri-County Conference Tournament; only one Salem County team has a first-round home game
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
Timber Creek’s Liberty Division-leading boys and Williamstown’s Royal Division-leading girls have pulled down the overall No. 1 seeds for next week’s Tri-County Basketball Tournament.
The tournament begins next Monday with 22 games at the higher seeds. The brackets were finalized Sunday and became official at noon today.
Timber Creek is currently 13-3, 8-0 in the Liberty Division, riding a 10-game on-the-floor winning streak and fourth in the South Jersey Group III power points standings. Williamstown is 14-5 overall, 6-0 in the Royal Division and leads the South Jersey Group IV power points standings.
As far as Salem County’s teams are concerned, no county boys team has a first-round home game and Schalick’s girls are the only county team playing at home in the opening round.
Pennsville’s boys and Salem’s girls have No. 1 seeds in their respective seven-team C Flight brackets, have first-round byes and will play home games in Round 2 Feb. 14. Pennsville is 5-0 against the other teams in its bracket, Salem 3-1.
“It’s bittersweet,” Pennsville coach Joe Mecholsky said of his team’s seeding. “It’s not our goal to be the best of the bottom. However, we will get two solid days of practice in as we prepare for the playoffs.
“Hopefully, two home games and the good vibes that come with winning a C bracket will help build momentum into the first round of the playoffs.”
On the girls side, Woodstown is No. 5 in the A Flight and will open the tournament at current Classic Division No. 2 Gloucester Catholic, a team the Wolverines opened the season against and are presently scheduled to play in Saturday’s consolation bracket of the SJIBT. Pennsville is No. 5 and Penns Grove 8 in the B Flight, and Salem is 1, Schalick 3 and Salem Tech 7 in the C Flight.
On the boys side, Salem is No. 6 in the A Flight and will open at Diamond Division leader Overbrook, a solid No. 7 in the South Jersey Group II power points standings. Penns Grove is No. 7 and Woodstown 8 in the B Flight, while Pennsville is No. 1 in C, followed by Schalick (6) and Salem Tech (7).
Day 1 winners are guaranteed two more games. Day 1 losers (except in Flight C) will play one consolation game.
The pairings for all six flights are listed below:
TRI-COUNTY CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
BOYS BRACKETS
A FLIGHT
Feb. 12
No. 8 Gloucester Catholic (12-8) at No. 1 Timber Creek (13-3)
No. 5 Triton (11-8) at No. 4 Pitman (15-6)
No. 6 Salem (13-6) at No. 3 Overbrook (15-5)
No. 7 Wildwood (11-9) at No. 2 Delsea (13-7)
Feb. 14
Gloucester Catholic-Timber Creek winner vs. Triton-Pitman winner
Salem-Overbrook winner vs. Wildwood-Delsea winner
Consolation games
Feb. 16
Third-place game
Championship
B FLIGHT
Feb. 12
No. 8 Woodstown (9-7) at No. 1 Kingsway (11-10)
No. 5 Glassboro (9-10) at No. 4 Deptford Twp. (10-9)
No. 6 Washington Twp. (11-9) at No. 3 Highland (9-9)
No. 7 Penns Grove (6-12) at No. 2 Clearview (11-8)
Feb. 14
Woodstown-Kingsway winner vs. Glassboro-Deptford Twp. winner
Washington Twp.-Highland winner vs. Penns Grove-Clearview winner
Consolation games
Feb. 16
Third-place game
Championship
C FLIGHT
Feb. 12
No. 1 Pennsville (9-11) bye
No. 5 Clayton (3-16) at No. 4 Cumberland (2-18)
No. 6 Schalick (6-10) at No. 3 Williamstown (1-19)
No. 7 Salem Tech (2-15) at No. 2 GCIT (7-14)
Feb. 14
Clayton-Cumberland winner at Pennsville
Schalick-Williamstown winner vs. Salem Tech-GCIT winner
Schalick-Williamstown loser vs. Salem Tech-GCIT loser
Feb. 16
Third-place game
Championship
GIRLS BRACKETS
A FLIGHT
Feb. 12
No. 8 Highland (10-9) at No. 1 Williamstown (14-4)
No. 5 Woodstown (14-4) at No. 4 Gloucester Catholic (15-5)
No. 6 Washington Twp. (10-8) at No. 3 Wildwood (14-5)
No. 7 Timber Creek (13-8) at No. 2 Clearview (14-3)
Feb. 14
Highland-Williamstown winner vs. Woodstown-Gloucester Catholic winner
Washington Twp.-Wildwood winner vs. Timber Creek-Clearview winner
Consolation games
Feb. 16
Third-place game
Championship
B FLIGHT
Feb. 12
No. 8 Penns Grove (7-8) at No. 1 GCIT (12-7)
No. 5 Pennsville (8-11) at No. 4 Delsea (8-10)
No. 6 Pitman (9-8) at No. 3 Kingsway (8-11)
No. 7 Clayton (8-9) at No. 2 Glassboro (12-5)
Feb. 14
Penns Grove-GCIT winner vs. Pennsville-Delsea winner
Pitman-Kingsway winner vs. Clayton-Glassboro winner
Consolation games
Feb. 16
Third-place game
Championship
C FLIGHT
Feb. 12
No. 1 Salem (7-11) bye
No. 5 Overbrook (3-12) at No. 4 Triton (6-11)
No. 6 Deptford (3-15) at No. 3 Schalick (5-11)
No. 7 Salem Tech (1-14) at No. 2 Cumberland (4-13)
Feb. 14
Overbrook-Triton winner at Salem
Deptford-Schalick winner vs. Salem Tech-Cumberland winner
Deptford-Schalick loser vs. Salem Tech-Cumberland loser
Feb. 16
Third-place game
Championship
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