ACAC tourney is set

The Patriots will have to hit the road to defend their titles.

South Adams will also open away from home.

In the Allen County Athletic Conference boys and girls basketball tournament draw held Tuesday, defending tournament champion Jay County received opening-round games on the road at Heritage.

South Adams will travel to Bluffton for its opener, with the winner advancing to play at either Jay County or Heritage. In the top half of the bracket, Woodlan, which received the bye, awaits either Southern Wells or Adams Central.

The quarterfinal round is set for Jan. 10 and the semifinal round will be Jan. 13. All boys games will be played at 6 p.m., with the girls contests to follow. Both championship games will be Jan. 14 at South Adams. The boys will tip at 6 p.m. with the girls tilt set to begin at 8 p.m.

Jay County’s girls basketball team is a flawless 22-0 against conference opponents since the school joined the ACAC in 2014, and the Patriots are two-time defending regular season and tournament champions.

The Patriot boys are coming off the team’s first ACAC title a year after falling to Leo in the final.

Brackets for both tournaments are identical, so both boys and girls games will be played at the same location each night. The format will follow that of the girls tournament. Therefore, whoever wins the Jay County-Heritage girls basketball quarterfinal game Jan. 10 will host boys and girls semifinal on Jan. 13.

All teams are guaranteed at least two games, so the consolation round — the losers of each opening round game as well as the first semifinal — will be Jan. 14. The two girls games will be at 10 a.m. and noon, with the boys games slated for 2 and 4 p.m.