Allen Community College’s Red Devils learned Tuesday they will face the Lakeland (Ohio) Lakers next Tuesday at the NJCAA Division II National Basketball Tournament in Danville, Ill.
Tip-off starts at 6:30 p.m. against the Lakers, who are ranked seventh.
The Red Devils are ranked 14th.
Pairings were announced by NJCAA during an online telecast in front of a large crowd clustered in ACC’s Student Center.
Allen head coach Andy Shaw admitted knowing next to nothing about Lakeland — even where they’re from.
“We’re new to D-II, so I don’t know where all the schools are,” Shaw said. “We’re excited. I didn’t know where we’d fall. We’re just excited about the opportunity.”
The upcoming tournament is the first national appearance in ACC’s history, following a whirlwind finish to the regular season, and then Saturday’s breathtaking 74-72 win over Johnson County in the Region VI championship.
The regional title is the Red Devils’ first since 1989.
“I’m sure they’re a very good program,” Shaw said of Lakeland. “As soon as we clear out of here, I’ll be watching film and trying to get the scouting report prepared.”
A win against Lakeland would set up a potential match against the nation’s top-ranked and No. 1 seed South Suburban, a Chicago suburb and the only undefeated school in the tournament.
