Concordia College Alabama’s men’s basketball team has a chance at redemption.

Nearly a year to the day that Concordia lost the USCAA national title to Oakwood, the Hornets will have a chance Saturday to win the school’s first men’s basketball title. Concordia pulled away from Berea for an 83-54 victory in a game that lasted into the early morning hours of Saturday.

The Concordia-Berea game was scheduled to start at 10 p.m. ET, but began much later because the Illinois Tech-Maine Fort Kent game before it went into double overtime.

Illinois Tech won that game 85-84 and will play Concordia at 11:30 a.m. CT for the championship Saturday.

The late night didn’t bother the Hornets at all.

“Actually, it kind of played into our hands,” said Concordia coach Fredrick Summers.

“Sometimes we practice late at night like that because of the kids’ class schedule we may not get on the floor until 9 or 9:15. It wasn’t an obstacle to us.”

Concordia led by as many as 29 points, Deqarius Johnson led the way with 8 points and 16 rebounds.

“I’ve been on him all year. With his athleticism, it’s just off the charts. He’s capable of doing that every game,” Summers said of Johnson. “He came up for us big at the right time.”

Dennis Miles did a lot of the damage on the offensive end with 28 points, and Deangelo Anthony chipped in 21 points.

Concordia led 36-27 at halftime, but outscored Berea by 20 in the second half.

Summers said Illinois might be a little tired after their two overtime victory.

“We definitely hope we will be more well-rested than they are,” Summers said. “Hopefully we can throw nine or ten guys at them and wear them down. Hopefully that plays into our favor.”

Summers said the school’s goal is to return to Selma with two national championships — one by the men and one by the women.

Both teams are now one win away from that becoming a reality.