If you look at Jerry Kleinbaum’s performance in the Glimm the past few years, one thing jumps out: He’s never really been competitive. Since 2016 (which is as far back as Glimm archives go), he’s never cracked the top 25 — and his brackets were usually closer to the bottom three than the top three.

So what happened this year?

“I got lucky,” he said.

Jerry’s approach this year was to pick some crazy teams to reach the Final Four: NC State and Alabama. Somehow, they both did it. Add in UConn, and he was the only person in the Glimm to pick three of the Final Four teams correctly.

As a result, Jerry’s Doctork bracket sits atop the Glimm standings entering the Final Four.

Kleinbaum’s 109.5 points slipped ahead of Glimm newcomer Nicholas Fabozzi, aka Nicky Fab. But Nicky Fab and Doctor K have the same picks in the Final Four, which means Nicky can’t catch the doctor.

The Ferguson Toilet, thanks to that perfect second round, rounds out the top three.

In the women’s bracket, longtime Glimmers Brian Martin (BMart) and Rachel Barenbaum (TheRunningRachel) kept pace throughout the past weekend – both scored 29 points in the third round, and 25 in the Elite Eight. Brian holds a slim two-point lead over Rachel. They both picked South Carolina and Iowa to reach the championship game, so it could come down to that game: Brian went with South Carolina to win it all, while Rach picked Iowa.

But Diane Otter (Capers) and Lauren Kimball (LK1) lurk: If UConn reaches the championship game, they both have a chance.

Other Glimmbits:

• While Nicky Fab can’t win the overall championship, he’s still earned a title in his debut Glimm: The Kids Championship. His 107 points is enough to clinch the Kids title, and earn the prestigious Kids Scholarship.
  
  Maverick Messick currently sits in second place in the Kids Tournament with 88.5 points, and Clayton Fowler IV is in third with 79.5.
  
  
• Richard Lester, Mrs. Glimm’s son-in-law, and Eli Lester, her grandson, are in a close battle for the Glimm Family Scholarship. In this father-son matchup, dad has a 6.5-point lead over son, but son could pull ahead with if Purdue does better than UConn in the Final Four.
  
  
• Asa Kleinbaum spent most of the weekend celebrating his Glimm victory — his Skibidi bracket clinched last place in the women’s pool, so he’ll get the Pity Prize. He was ecstatic about this — frequently pointing out to his older sister’s that he’s the only one in the family to get any money out of the Glimm. Next year, he said, he might try to get them ALL wrong.
  
  
• With three games to play, nine people have a chance at finishing in the money in the men’s pool, and 12 in the women’s pool. Does that include you? Head over to theglimm.com to find out.
  
  If you click on the men’s or women’s standings, then choose ‘What If Scenarios’, you can see the standings for all eight possible outcomes – so you can figure out your best finish, and if you have a chance at finishing in the money.

• The Orlov is still wide open. As you should know, the Orlov goes to whoever finishes in exactly the middle of the standings – this year, that’s 133rd place. This is in honor of the late longtime Glimmer Rick Orlov. With three games remaining, 27 Glimmers still have a shot at the Orlov — it could very well come down to the tiebreaker.
  
  
• The women’s Final Four begins on Friday, with the championship game on Sunday, and the men’s Final Four begins on Saturday, with the championship game on Monday.
  
  
• A few of you still owe your Glimm entry fee – if that includes you, please send it to me ASAP.