Brazil Times Bracket Challenge: Elite 8

The opening round has come and gone and we’ve now entered the Elite 8 of the Brazil Times Bracket Challenge.

Hunter Adams and Nate Owens got the highlighter treatment – signifying they won their matchups and subsequently moved on.

Like the first round, you will be able to vote on which performance deserves to advance in the Brazil Time Bracket Challenge via the Times’ Facebook page (Facebook.com/Brazil.Times) as well as Adler Ingalsbe’s Twitter page (twitter.com/ADeez03).

Listed below are the matchups with some background on each performance:

Caleb Swearingen (March 4 against Owen Valley – sectional opener) vs. Hunter Adams (December 21 against South Vermillion) – Saturday at Noon

• Northview junior guard Caleb Swearingen scored a career-high 30 points on 10-of-20 shooting from the field, 1-of-3 from 3-point range and 9-of-13 from the free throw line while grabbing six rebounds. He scored the final 10 points of regulation, including the game-tying floater with nine seconds to send the game into overtime.

• Clay City senior guard Hunter Adams scored 15 points on 4-of-12 shooting from the field, 3-of-9 shooting from 3-point range and 4-of-8 shooting from the free throw line while grabbing five rebounds. Adams stepped up down the stretch for the Eels, putting in a pair of 3-pointers late in regulation that helped get the game into overtime. He then sunk his third 3 in the extra time that brought Clay City’s deficit to two before knocking down a pair of free throws in double overtime to draw his team within one.

Note: Winner will take on the victor of Cade Bryan-Jacob LaFary in the Final 4.

Cade Bryan (December 20 against North Putnam) vs. Jacob LaFary (December 21 against South Vermillion) – Sunday at Noon

• Northview senior forward Cade Bryan scored a game-high 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 shooting from 3-point range while grabbing a game-high 14 rebounds, giving him what was his fourth consecutive double-double to open the season. Bryan got his night started by scoring eight points in the first quarter before taking over in the third with 10 more to put the game out of reach.

• Clay City senior forward Jacob LaFary scored a team-high 18 points on 8-of-17 shooting from the field, 1-of-5 shooting from 3-point range and 1-of-5 shooting from the free throw line while grabbing a game-high nine rebounds. With teammates fouling out left and right, LaFary willed the Eels into overtime by scoring six points on 3-of-4 shooting in the final five minutes of regulation. He then added six more points in the extra period to push the game into double overtime.

Note: Winner will take on the victor of Caleb Swearingen-Hunter Adams in the Final 4.

Caden Cannon (February 21 against Northview) vs. Nate Owens (February 14 against North Central) – Monday at Noon

• Clay City senior guard Caden Cannon scored 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field and a perfect 1-of-1 from 3-point range and 1-of-1 from the free throw line while grabbing five rebounds. Cannon ignited a late rally for the Eels, which included a 3-pointer that cut the Clay City deficit to one with just over two minutes remaining. Cannon also put in the game-winning alley-oop with three seconds.

• Clay City senior guard/forward Nate Owens scored a game-high 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field, 0-of-1 shooting from 3-point range and 5-of-5 shooting from the free throw line while grabbing seven rebounds. Owens overcame early foul trouble by putting in nine points in the third quarter before adding eight more points in the fourth, which included the Eels’ final four points that drew them within one with 5.4 seconds left.

Note: Winner will take on the victor of Ethan Rogers-Brevin Cooper in the Final 4.

Ethan Rogers (February 27 against Riverton Parke) vs. Brevin Cooper (December 30 against Casey-Westfield – Wabash Valley Classic) – Tuesday at Noon

• Clay City senior guard Ethan Rogers scored 15 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field, 3-of-5 shooting from the 3-point line and 4-fo-4 from the free throw line while grabbing a pair of rebounds and dishing out one assist. Rogers drained a game-tying 3-pointer with 1:01 left in regulation before calmly stepping up to the free throw and drained both shots with 24.7 seconds left to lift the Eels past the Panthers.

• Northview junior guard Brevin Cooper scored 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field, 3-of-7 shooting from 3-point range and 2-of-2 at the free throw line while grabbing nine rebounds. Cooper sparked the Knights with 11 of his points coming in the second quarter, including three 3s, which helped push the lead over the 20-point mark. He became a facilitator in the second half and helped Northview capture fifth place at the Classic.

Note: Winner will take on the victor of Caden Cannon-Nate Owens in the Final 4.