They're geared up for the first home playoff game in ages at Nashua South, as this social media graphic of Panther Maggie Gallagher (15) moving on Pinkerton's Brooke Benz shows. (Courtesy photo)

Tonight, the fun begins.

The high school area basketball tournament season for Division I girls kicks off with four local teams in action, and two at home. The Bedford Bulldogs are considered the top dawgs, with challenges from Concord Christian and Londonderry.

But you might not want to tell that to Nashua South, which finished a school best ever 15-3. The No. 4 Panthers will come full circle tonight at 6 p.m. when they take on No. 13 Pinkerton (9-9) at the Belanger Gym. It will be South’s first home tourney game in eons

Bishop Guertin is used to being home, especially in the first round, and the No. 8, 11-7 Cardinals will host No. 9 Trinity (11-7), also at 6.

No. 15 Nashua North (8-10) and No. 16 Alvirne (6-12) aren’t as fortunate. Not only do they have to go on the road, they have to face the top two seeds, North at two-time defending champion Bedford (16-2) and Alvirne at No. 1, 17-1 Concord Christian., both listed as 6 p.m. tilts.

South is quite possibly the area’s best girls team. They began to draw attention, ironically, when they beat the Astros in back on Dec. 16 in overtime on the road.

South also has an inside game this year, and don’t ever discount the motivation of senior guard Nicole De Jesus, the motor that drives the Panthers who have other important parts like Maggie Gallagher, Lexi McGuire, etc.This is not a team that lacks confidence. De Jesus had 19 and Gallagher 10 in the Pinkerton win.

“When you have a senior guard like that, it makes a big difference,” Nashua North coach Curt Dutilley said.

The other local that would love to win a game or two is Bishop Guertin. The Cards know their identity – a pressure team that uses its defense to ignite its offense. While they’d like to use the 3-pointer, players like Thalia Drapeau and Olivia Baker can be inside threats.

“For us, defensively was and is the biggest piece,” Cards coach Liv Orlando said. “By getting stops, we’re able to turn those (shots) into layups.”

Guertin has lost to all three powers: by 25 vs. CC, by 17 vs. Bedford and by 19 to Londonderry. But all before Christmas. That feels like a century ago.

They get home court because they beat Trinity 44-42 back on Jan. 6 in Manchester. It was the first of a five-game winning streak that dug the Cards out of an 0-4 hole. In the Trinity game, the Cards took control for a late five-point lead as Hailey McGowan had 10 of her 16 points during that span.

What about the Titans? They are at the lower end, and while they had a great year from shooter Angie King, the season likely wasn’t what they expected with their youth.

“We would have to play our absolutely best game because we would probably line up with Londonderry or Bedford,” Dutilley said before the pairings came out. “But I think the girls felt good coming out of the last Londonderry game. After the first quarter it was ‘We’re not their equal, but we can play with them.’ But that’s the hardest thing with Bedford and Londonderry. They can hit you so hard in the first quarter so fast.”

Alvirne, meanwhile, has had a jump on all the teams in the tourney because they’ve already really had a tourney game, as they had a winner-gets-in game with Winnacunnet. But now they have to return to Concord Christian, where they lost a 52-27 game just10 days ago.But they made it, and that’s half the battle.