Jay, South Adams to meet in opener

For the second time in as many years, the Patriots will host a conference tournament game.
In the Allen County Athletic Conference basketball tournament draw held Wednesday, Jay County’s boys and girls basketball teams were given an opening-round matchup with the South Adams Starfires.
The winner between South Adams and Jay County will host the Bluffton Tigers, who received a bye to the semifinal.
The bottom half of the bracket has the Southern Wells Raiders hosting the Adams Central Flying Jets, with the Woodlan Warriors traveling to Monroeville to meet the Heritage Patriots.
The quarterfinal round is set for Jan. 12. All girls games will be played at 6 p.m., with the boys contests to follow.
The semifinal round will be Jan. 15 at host sites, with the championship games to be played Jan. 16 at South Adams.
Jay County’s girls basketball team, which is 10-2, is the defending regular season and tournament champion. The Patriots have not lost to a conference opponent since joining in 2014.
Former member Leo won both boys titles last season before leaving the conference. The Lions beat Jay County during the regular season and tournament for the crown.
The boys and girls tournament brackets are identical, but new this season is that both boys and girls semifinal games will be played at the same location. The format will follow that of the boys tournament
Therefore, whoever wins the Jay County-South Adams boys basketball quarterfinal game Jan. 12 will host boys and girls semifinal on Jan. 15.
Consolation games will be played on Saturday morning, and the location will be determined based on the loser of each opening-round contest.