Sixteen teams from across the nation are in Danville this week to compete in the NJCAA Division II Men’s National Basketball Tournament. The games were cancelled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But they are back this year, with games slated Tuesday through Saturday (April 20 – 24, 2021) in the Mary Miller Gymnasium at Danville Area Community College.
(The Mary Miller Gym is ready for action.)
Tournament Director Brian Hensgen notes spectators will be limited because of State Health Department guidelines associated with the on-going pandemic…
{AUDIO – ‘’Our first focus is on the parents and players’ families to get into the gymnasium. So all of the teams have submitted a fan list so that they can have tickets sitting at the door – they’re $5 apiece. And for each game we will then allow 240 individuals – up to 240 – into the gymnasium, and then clear the gym after each game.’’]
Hensgen notes that because the Centers for Disease Control recognizes that if you have been vaccinated against COVID-19 that person does not count toward the capacity limit. So he says it is going to be very fluid this week. And throughout the tournament citizens will be able to call the Tournament Office at 217-443-8551 to see whether any tickets are available.
Hensgen learned late last week that one team was withdrawing because a player tested positive for COVID…
{AUDIO: ‘’The sixteen-seed Oakland Community College had to withdraw, and St. Clair County Community College will be taking their place. And St. Clair was actually the first alternate in the seeding process, and they were the number six team in the country,’’ added Hensgen.}
Hensgen says members of the team from Oakland Community College of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan…will still receive their credentials and tournament packet even though they had to pull out.
This marks the 28th year that Danville has hosted the tournament, and it is the 37th year for the tournament.
A playoff bracket is available at www.danvillejaguars.com/njcaa.
WDAN Radio (1490 AM) will broadcast all of the games with the tip-off for the first game scheduled for 9:00 a.m. Tuesday (April 20, 2021). Games will also be shown on Comcast/Xfinity Channel 5.
