By Saj Sri-Kumar

March Madness ushered in three days of events at the Upper School last week.

The events, organized by the Prefect Council in conjunction with the Student Athletic Advisory Council, aimed to involve students in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Men’s Division I Basketball Championship, colloquially known as March Madness.

A total of 117 students submitted brackets to the school-wide bracket challenge. To participate, students had to predict the winners and losers of the 126 games of the tournament.

Prizes will be awarded after spring break to the student in each grade with the best bracket, as determined by a formula that awards points for each correct prediction.

The winner in the senior class will win gift cards to restaurants on Ventura Boulevard, and the sophomore and junior winners will receive senior off-campus privileges for one week for themselves and a friend.

The Prefect Council also organized events in Taper Gymnasium on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Students were able to participate in a knockout competition Wednesday.

In a close finish, Alec Caso ’11 won the competition, beating Charlie Benell ’12 for the game-winning shot. Caso received a $25 gift card to In-N-Out Burger as a prize for winning the competition.

The Prefect Council also arranged for live basketball games to be broadcast in Taper on Thursday and Friday. Two games were shown each day, and a basketball hoop was available to allow students to play while watching the games.

Prefect David Olodort ’12, who organized the event along with prefect Michael Wagmeister ’13, said that no games are being broadcast this week as the NCAA has shifted all of the remaining games to later time slots.