The 2007-08 high school basketball season is just five days old and already the following boys teams have lost - St. Augustine Prep, Atlantic City (twice), Middle Township, Mainland (three times) and Wildwood Catholic (three times).

Among the girls, Absegami, Holy Spirit, Ocean City, Middle Township and Atlantic City have all lost.

It is safe to say that a series of circumstances like that have rarely happened before. Does it mean that all of the pre-season expectations were wrong? The consensus was that Mainland, Hammonton and Atlantic City would battle for the American Conference boys title and the National would be decided between St. Augustine, Holy Spirit and Middle. Among girls, Absegami, Ocean City, Mainland and Atlantic City seemed to be the challengers in the American; Holy Spirit, Sacred Heart and Middle in the National.

On Thursday night, the Ocean City-Hammonton boys game has become a battle for first place. The Raiders have beaten Hammonton in seven of their last 10 meetings. But that isn't the real story of the series between the two schools. For 50 years, starting in 1952-53, Ocean City defeated the Blue Devils 63 straight times. Jack Boyd was 30-0 against Hammonton and Dixie Howell was 33-1. It has to be the longest winning streak one South Jersey school ever enjoyed over another.

But Hammonton, under Coach Joe Martino, has improved its basketball program. New sending districts have helped. So has transfer Travis Washington (from Sterling), probably Hammonton's best player.

Ocean City has defeated Oakcrest, Wildwood Catholic and Lower Cape May this year. Oakcrest later defeated Middle by 20 points and Lower had beaten Atlantic City. In all three OCHS wins, the leading scorer in the game was on the other team. The Raiders have shown tremendous balance with three players averaging in double figures and eight players averaging more than four points a game.

In addition to Hammonton at Ocean City on Thursday, other interesting boys games find Absegami at Mainland, Lower Cape May at Oakcrest, Vineland at Atlantic City and Middle at Holy Spirit.

Among girls teams, the Holy Spirit-Middle, Mainland-Absegami and Wildwood Catholic-Pleasantville games should impact the standings.

The first five days have been incredible. It makes a fan not want to miss a single night of action.