Massachusetts D1 Boys Basketball Bracket Set for Elite 8 After Historic Sweet Sixteen

The D1 MIAA boys of Massachusetts have finalized the elite eight behind some incredible performances

Cameron Merritt/Taunton Daily Gazette

The elite eight is set for the Massachusett's boys D1 high school basketball tournament after an electric round in the sweet sixteen. As we narrow the bracket down to 8 elite teams, we are in for an absolute show this next coming round. Take a look at the matchups and recap of last round's games below.

#1 Franklin vs #8 Bridgewater-Raynham

Franklin earned the number one seed because of their terrific regular season performances and elite play all year. In the sweet sixteen against North Andover, they displayed that play once again. Caden Sullivan hit his 1,000 career points while pouring in 28 points, snatching 10 rebounds while pestering his way to five steals on defense. Also chipping into that win were Justice Samuels with 15 points and 8 rebounds, as well as Jake Olmstead with 12 points and 8 assists. The Panthers will take on Bridgewater-Raynham on March 6th; they defeated Boston-Latin in their previous game. They were led by Perry Lewis, who led all scorers that game with 17. The Trojans will look to do the impossible and take down the one-seeded Panthers in hopes of keeping their season alive.

#4 Central Catholic vs #5 Lowell

If you know Massahucsetts high school hoops, then you know how deep this rivalry runs. The Raiders of Central Catholic vs the Red Raiders of Lowell, a classic 4 versus 5 side matchup. Both teams put on a great show in the round of sixteen. Central Catholic got their win against St. Johns where junior Javi Lopez was nearing a triple-double with an incredible 32 point, 10 rebound, 8 assist stat line. Lopez is a ferocious scorer who led his team to a 73-55 victory. On the other side, Lowell had just as good of a performance defeating Lincoln-Sudbury 83-66. Their star player, Tzar Powell-Aparicio, had 32 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists, an almost identical staline to Lopez. Also chipping in was Jason Kamau with 13 points and 5 assists, as well as Collin Christiansen with 19 points and 7 rebounds. The two teams will face off on March 7th as they will battle to advance to the next round.

#2 Attleboro vs #7 Springfield

The two-seeded Bombardiers of Attleboro have comfortably cruised past each of their opponents thus far. In their last game against Catholic Memorial, nothing changed as they topped them 76-61. Senior guard Hayden Crowley had 21 points, all on 7 made three-pointers. Also contributing were Emmett Hill with 15 points and 8 rebounds and Ladanian Rodrigues with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and a couple of nasty blocks. Springfield, on the other hand, battled hard against Newton South and won in overtime. Three guys stood out for the Golden Eagles: Jabari Sifrin with 20 points, Unique Kynard with 19, and JP Martinez with 18. If you are looking for elite-level basketball, make sure to take note of this game on March 7th, as it will not disappoint.

#3 Newton North vs #11 Braintree

The obvious question here is how Braintree managed to make it this far, being a lower seed. Well, with pure willpower. In possibly one of the most thrilling games of basketball ever played, the Wamps took down six-seeded Andover 43-41 in dramatic fashion. With under 15 seconds in the game, Owen Kelly and Dylan Ferndandes hit clutch free throws to put the Wamps over Andover, and a late-game steal from Calum McClorey sealed it. Ethan Eli led the team with 18, and Kelly added 11. They will go up against Newton North, who also had a crazy end to their overtime win against Marshfield. They were led by Teagan Swint, who had a dominant 17-point, 17-rebound game. These two gritty teams will battle against each other with the hope of bringing back that beloved trophy.

The boys of Massachusetts continue to display their talent in this year's tournament in hopes of being crowned state champions. Stay tuned for more updates on the tournament, as we are in for more high-level hoops.