The 2025-26 District 11 basketball playoffs begin tonight with opening round games.

Of the three contest that will be played, one involves a Times News area team.

The Northern Lehigh girls will host Lehigh Valley Academy with a trip to the Class 3A quarterfinals on the line.

Below is a preview capsule of tonight’s contest:

GIRLS BASKETBALL

District 11 Class 3A

No. 9 LV Academy (13-9) vs. No. 8 No. Lehigh (9-13)

Tuesday, Feb. 17, 7 p.m. at No. Lehigh

LEADING OFF

With only two weeks until the start of the season, Brandon Hibbler took over as head coach and quickly gained the respect of his Bulldog players. The team faced three of the Colonial League’s toughest teams to start the campaign — losing to Northwestern, Palmerton and Notre Dame-Green Pond. The Bulldogs put together two separate three-game winnings streaks and finished 9-13, believing they hadn’t qualify for the playoffs. Hibbler, however, received word that they indeed made the postseason based on their rating points. “Our strength of schedule is what got us to where we snuck in. It’s quite the experience,” said Hibbler. “It came down to .004 points.” The Jaguars, in their second season as a varsity basketball program, return to the postseason after posting 13 victories.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Northern Lehigh – Tegan Simms (16.73 ppg, 53 three-pointers), Jaylene Ramos (6.14 ppg, 22 threes), Kylee Snyder (5.36 ppg), Ariana Williams (4.86 ppg), Ella Tosh (3.82 ppg, 22 threes)

Lehigh Valley Academy – Jayleigh Gillmeyer (Sr., G), Letigia Buzzi (Sr.), Jeida Read-Lugo (Jr., F), Anndy Little (So., G), Madalyn Hothouse (So., F)

BY THE NUMBERS

2 – The number of common opponents both programs have faced this season. Those teams were Palmerton and Salisbury. The Bulldogs (0-3) and Jaguars (0-2) were winless in the combined five games against the Bombers and Falcons.

6 – The number of wins Lehigh Valley Academy has against teams outside of District 11 this season. The Jaguars defeated Our Lady of the Cross (District 3) twice, and added victories over Upper Bucks Christian (D-1), Bristol (D-1), Wilkes-Barre (D-2) and Morrisville (D-1).

25.38 – The average margin of defeat for LVA in losses against teams from District 11 – Allen, Salisbury, Mahanoy Area, Lincoln Leadership, Palmerton, Executive Education (twice), and North Schuylkill. Its closest D-11 loss was by 17 to Allen.

26 – The number of points Tegan Simms — NL’s 1,000-point scorer — had a year ago in the District 11 Class 3A opening round game against Lehigh Valley Academy – a 69-27 victory for Nolehi.

.600 – Northern Lehigh’s winning percentage in its 10 home games this season.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

“We’re going to have to come out and play well. I expect our students, I expect our families and our school to really get behind us. I expect a really great environment Tuesday night. We just hope we get the ball to bounce our way, and we can continue to the quarterfinals. I told our kids, ‘We are two games away from getting two more games, and a state berth.’ That’s reality. If we win ... we will get Notre Dame, and I like our chances. I think we can compete well with them ... I think we’re going to be ready to go.” – NL coach Brandon Hibbler.