By LARRY HILLIARDLedger Sports Editorlarry@gaffneyledger.com

TRAVIS MILLER The Blacksburg boys’ basketball team proved it can battle with the big boys last weekend.

Playing against a steady diet of Class 4A teams and without forwards Tim Boyd and Tyler Otey, the Class 1A Wildcats posted an impressive 4-4 record at the Lander University Team Camp.

The Wildcats topped Class 4A teams Hilton Head, Battery Creek and West Florence as well as region rival Christ Church.

Blacksburg lost to Class 4A James Island by two points and to Class 4A Summerville by eight.

The Wildcats also lost to Class 2A Emerald and Wando, another Class 4A team.

“We learned a lot about ourselves at the camp,” Blacksburg coach Travis Miller said. “This year, we will be a lot more deliberate.” Rising senior Steven Ross, who missed last season with a wrist injury, was a bright spot for the Wildcats.

“Steven didn’t score a whole lot, but he played well on defense and he rebounded,” Miller said.

Rising senior and the Region II Player of the Year Rodney Poston turned in another solid performance,

according to Miller.

The absence of Boyd and Otey meant more playing time for other players.

“We had some other kids get a chance to play and that will help them,” Miller said.

The Wildcats are back in action tomorrow for the second session of the FCA Basketball Camp at Limestone College.

Boyd and Otey are expected to participate.

“We’ll be at full strength for this,” he said. “We’ll look to get better scoring inside, but we know there are a lot of good teams.

“But we proved that we can compete with those Class 4A teams.”

Just ask Hilton Head, Battery Creek and West Florence.