Area basketball teams position for playoffs

Area boys and girls high school varsity basketball teams are jockeying for position with seven days remaining before the qualifying cutoff date for the New Jersey State Interscholastic Association playoffs.

Teams have to be at .500 by 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3 to make the postseason dance.

Some area schools are sending both their boys and girls squads to the playoffs.

Boys and girls teams from Holy Spirit, Mainland Regional and Absegami have already qualified and have set sights on winning Cape-Atlantic League division or conference titles or earning a home playoff game.

Pleasantville’s boys squad, the laceName>EgglaceName> laceType>HarborlaceType> laceType>TownshiplaceType> girls and Atlantic City boys are in.

The Atlantic City girls team used a 63-35 victory over host Hammonton on Jan. 25 to improve to 8-6 with games against Vineland and Absegami remaining. The Vikings could lose both games and still make it.

But the final week do-or-die time for the Pleasantville girls teams as well as the Oakcrest boys squad.

Here’s how it looks for the two area teams still on the bubble:

Pleasantville girls

The Lady Greyhounds have flirted with the .500 mark since day one this season but a 52-36 loss to rival Holy Spirit on Thursday, Jan. 25 dropped Pleasantville to 7-8 with two games remaining.

The Lady Greyhounds must win both games as a result.

That means they have to find a way to top visiting Wildwood Catholic (6-9 overall) at 5:30 Monday, Jan. 29 and then beat host Our Lady of Mercy (14-2) at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 1.

Oakcrest boys

Since opening with a 5-1 start, the Falcons’ season has gone downhill and fast.

Oakcrest lost 50-45 to laceType>OceanlaceType> laceType>CitylaceType> on Jan. 23 to go to 6-8, including a 1-7 showing in January.

Oakcrest must win three out of its four final games to make the playoffs. They host Millville (7-8) at 6 p.m., Jan. 26. Then Oakcrest heads to play against defending Tri-State Christian champion Atlantic Christian at 1:30 p.m., Jan. 27.

The Falcons return home to host Lower Cape May (3-13)  at 6 p.m., Jan. 30.

The Falcons’ last game before the playoff qualifying date is 5:30 p.m., Feb. 2 at Hammonton (10-6).

Unfortunately, the laceName>EgglaceName> laceType>HarborlaceType> laceType>TownshiplaceType> boys team (4-10) and the Oakcrest girls (4-11) have been eliminated from playoff contention.