As the Middlesboro Yellow Jackets girls’ and boys’ basketball teams prepare to head to Richmond to play in the State All A Tournaments this week, a full day is being set aside in their honor.

Tuesday has been proclaimed by Middlesboro Mayor Rick Nelson and state Rep. Adam Bowling as “Middlesboro Yellow Jackets and Lady Jackets Day” in Middlesboro.

“Going to a state tournament is something that an athlete will remember for the rest of their lives,” Nelson said.

The proclamation reads:

“Whereas the Middlesboro High School boys and girls basketball teams have worked hard this season to achieve success and whereas said work has resulted in their being named champions of the 13th Region Boys and Girls All A Championship games.

Now, therefore, I, Rick Nelson, Mayor of the City of Middlesboro do hereby proclaim Tuesday, January 22 as “Middlesboro Yellow Jackets and Lady Jackets Day in Middlesboro, Kentucky.”

The last time the Middlesboro boys’ team won the 13^th Region Boys All A Championship game was 2013; the last time the Lady Jackets won the tournament was 2009.

Following the Lady Jackets win over Williamsburg, Coach Scott Overbay told the Middlesboro Daily News that he is very proud of the team.

“I am so proud of our team,” said Overbay. “The leadership on the team has been awesome. It’s hard to put into words how happy I am and how proud I am as well. We’ve been working hard on correcting some of the things that we’ve been doing wrong throughout the season, and I think we are getting to where we want to be, and it shows.”

The Middlesboro Lady Jackets brought home the win, 48-44, over Williamsburg. The boys’ game was a one-point win over Harlan, 54-53, that came down to the last seconds of the game.

The Lady Jackets play Holy Cross Wednesday morning at 8:30.

The boys will play Knott Central Thursday morning at 11:30.