Alvirne's Garrett Hall drives to the hoop; against Nashua South's Daniel Karavanic in early January. Both South and Alvirne will be at home in next Wednesday's Division I prelims. (Telegraph file photo by TOM KING)

The Division I boys and girls high school basketball pairings have been released and for the first half of next week the area will be buzzing with home games.

Both the Nashua South and Bishop Guertin boys and girls will be home for the first round, and so will the Alvirne boys.

It stars Monday with the first round of the 16-team girls tourney, with no byes. South (15-3) is No. 4, and will host No. 13 Pinkerton (9-9), a team it beat 58-53 early in the season to put itself on the elite map. Bishop Guertin (No. 8, 11-7) has won its last five and will host No. 9, 11-7 Trinity which it edged 44-42 back on Jan. 6.

No. 15 Nashua North (8-10) and No. 16 Alvirne (6-12) are on the road, the Titans getting No. 2 Bedford (16-2) and the Broncos, who just got in on the last day to play (this past Wednesday), are at No. 1 Concord Christian (17-1). Both lost to their opponents by lopsided scores during the regular season.

If South wins, it plays the winner of Exeter-Portsmouth at home on Thursday in the quarterfinals. If BG advances, it would either have to head to Concord Christian in a rematch of last year’s quarters or host Alvirne if there’s a major first round upset.

The semis are Monday, March 9, site to be determined, and the finals are at UNH on Saturday, March14 at 4 p.m.

DIVISION I BOYS

Fun starts Wednesday. Locally, fifth seed Bishop Guertin (14-4) will be at home Wednesday night, hosting No. 12 Manchester Memorial (8-10), whom it beat 64-55 nearly a month ago.

The toughest draw for a higher seed belongs to 11-7 Nashua south, which went 7-1 down the stretch, but during its 4-6 start lost to Windham on the road 74-60 in mid-January. The Panthers host the No. 10, 10-8 Jaguars Wednesday.

No. 6, 12-6 Alvirne is also home, as it was last year in the first round. The Broncos get No. 11 Keene (9-9), whom they’d love to get another shot at after losing to the Blackbirds at the Steckevicz Gym 68-38 way back on Dec. 19.

Finally, No. 14 Merrimack (7-11) will be at No.2 Bedford. That was a 75-31 loss for the ‘Hawks just over a month ago.

Potential quarters on Saturday, March 7 include BG at Pinkerton or home vs. Dover, South at Bedford or home vs. Merrimack, Alvirne at Trinity or home vs. Londonderry. Upsets always happen, right?

Portsmouth (17-1, recent loss to Pinkerton) is the top seed and overwhelming favorite. The semis are Wednesday, March 11 at the Rochester Recreation Center and finals at UNH at 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 15.