The days are getting shorter, the nights are finally growing crisp, and the color orange is popping up all over. Especially, now, on the basketball courts of area middle and high schools.

With the football season starting to wind down for many area schools, Tuesday night saw the first of many preseason basketball tipoff jamborees and tournaments begin. Hampton Elementary hosted its annual kickoff jamboree as ten middle schools sent their boys and girls teams to participate in the event.

Schools from as far away as Avery county came to play and test their talent on the court for the first time. With host school Hampton playing both their boys and girls squads. Cloudland, Jonesborough, Avery County, and Johnson County also sent both teams to play while Unicoi, TA Dugger, Happy Valley and Blountville only sent either their girls or boys teams to play.