Instead of starting the day by dutifully heading to class, the students and teachers at New Iberia Senior High spent Wednesday morning packed into the NISH gym to send the boys basketball team to its first semifinal contest in over two decades. 

With handmade signs, costumes and a DJ to set the mood, the Yellow Jacket faithful cheered for their team as they boarded the bus, first to LSU’s Pete Maravich Assembly Center for a shoot-around before heading west to the Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles. 

The Yellow Jackets face off against No. 4 seed Walker in the LHSAA Non-Select Division I semifinals on Thursday at 8 p.m.

Walker entered the playoffs with a 27-5 record, defeating Mandeville 74-39 and Ouachita Parish 74-63 after a first-round bye. 

The Yellow Jackets not only entered the playoffs as the District 3-5A champions, but also as the No. 1 seed their division. After going 27-3 in the regular season, NISH topped East Ascension 36-34 before moving on to defeat No. 8 Northshore 56-44. 

Check out all the photos from the event below.