It might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and if it is, Adam Bauer is having the time of his life.

Bauer and his fraternal twin, Brady, have been joined on Cary-Grove’s basketball team this season by their sophomore brother, Evan.

Adam, a 6-foot-7 center/forward, and Brady, a 6-4 forward, were teammates last season. The twins have been starters all season for the Trojans, who are 11-2 after going 3-1 at Jacobs’ Hinkle Holiday Classic. The Trojans sit atop the Fox Valley Conference standings at 4-0.

Evan, a 6-4 forward, is the fourth Bauer to play for C-G’s program. Oldest brother Zach graduated in 2023 after a successful career for the Trojans. Evan is usually one of the Trojans’ first players off the bench.

While Adam, Brady and Evan are piling up memories in what likely will be their only season playing competitive basketball together, the Trojans’ success only adds to the good times.

Life is good for the trio of Bauer towers.

“It’s pretty special,” Adam Bauer said last week at Jacobs, where he was named to the all-tournament team for the second year in a row. “I definitely like it a lot. I’ve been playing with my twin for a few years, but playing with my younger brother has been a lot of fun.”

Evan’s game, Adam said, is more similar to Brady’s. Evan, who plays forward and can handle the ball on the perimeter, scored 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the floor (1 of 1 from the foul line) in C-G’s tournament finale, an 81-39 win over Larkin.

Adam is a three-year varsity player and has been one of the best big men in the area for the past two seasons.

“[Evan] has some better guard skills than I do,” said Adam, who scored 23 points in each of the Trojans’ last two games at Jacobs. “I think he’ll definitely step up next year as a scorer, especially. Maybe he’ll take my role. Maybe he’ll gain some height or hit the weight room a little bit in the off-season.”

The Bauers return to action Tuesday, when C-G visits Carmel for a 7 p.m. nonconference game.

Berndt commits to Carthage: Cary-Grove senior point guard AJ Berndt announced on X after the Hinkle Holiday Classic that he is “100% committed” to Carthage College’s men’s basketball program.

Berndt, a 6-2 senior, was named all-tournament at Jacobs, where he scored 25 points (five 3-pointers) in a 76-58, Day 3 win over Lakes. Earlier this season, the three-year varsity player had career highs of 26 points and seven 3-pointers in a 59-52 victory over Crystal Lake South.

Rockets rolling: Richmond-Burton’s shorthanded Rockets won Marengo’s 75th annual E.C. Nichols Holiday Classic with a 4-0 record, beating Crystal Lake Central 51-42 in the championship game Dec. 27.

The Rockets (7-4) have won six of their past seven games, despite playing without junior point guard Gavin Radmer, who’s been sidelined since injuring his elbow and wrist against Grant on Dec. 6. Radmer, an All-Kishwaukee River Conference player as a sophomore, figures to make his return to the court in January.

“He’s like my right-hand man,” R-B forward Luke Robinson said after scoring 22 points against Central in the title game at Marengo. “Ever since he’s been out, I needed to really step up again. I put in a lot of work in the off-season. It’s just the work paying off. I know I’ve got to step up, so I do it.”

Robinson, like fellow starters Jace Nelson and Ray Hannemann, got a late start to the season after helping the football team reach the Class 3A state semifinals.

“We don’t have many people who focus on basketball,” Robinson said. “For a lot of people, this is their second, third sport. Me, this is my first sport, so I know I have to put in the work and come to play every game.”

R-B relied on its defense at Marengo, as the Rockets allowed an average of only 36.3 points in four games.

“The defense we’ve played the last four games has been some of the best defense we’ve played, definitely in my three years,” R-B coach Rich Petska said. “These kids are communicating, they’re flying, they’re playing their butts off defensively.”

Marian Central’s Kowalsky sidelined: Marian Central played Marengo’s E.C. Nichols Tournament without a key player.

Hurricanes coach Lafeyette Bell said senior forward Colin Kowalsky hyperextended his knee against Christ the King on Dec. 12.

“We’re praying that he can return [to practice] toward the end of [December], hopefully January,” Bell said at Marengo. “We want to make sure that he’s ready. He’s a key piece for us, and if we’re going to make a run in the regional, we’re going to need him.”

Acosta shines: Harvard went 0-3 in North Boone’s post-Christmas holiday tournament to fall to 1-10, but junior guard Julian Acosta has continued to be a bright spot.

Acosta, who’s been playing varsity ball since his freshman year, scored 32 points against Christian Life at North Boone. He’s also had games this season of 24, 20 and 27 points.

“He was probably our strongest guard last year,” Hornets coach Brian Heidtke said. “He lives basketball. He’s really been coachable. What he needs to do to finish at the rim, he’s really working hard at it. And nobody outworks him.”

• Northwest Herald correspondent Mark Winter contributed to this report.