Hot Shots

Photo by LARRY HILLIARD Gaffney's Bubba Wright fakes a Spartanburg player off his feet during first quarter action on Tuesday. Wright and his teammates look to go 3-0 today at Boiling Springs. Tip time is 8 p.m. The Gaffney Indians, missing the playoffs for the first time in nine years, have taken their frustrations out on their opponents.

The Indians, ranked sixth in a preseason poll, have started the season 2-0, beating their opponents by an average of 20 points.

"Our big thing is that we just want our kids to play hard," Gaffney coach Mark Huff said. "I know it's only two games and you don't want to go overboard, but the kids are giving a good effort. As long as the kids give a good effort, we have a chance to be successful."

Gaffney will look to go 3-0 today at Boiling Springs. Huff admits he has a spotty scouting report on the Bulldogs, but knows they will be missing sharpshooting Dylan Thompson, who has a shoulder injury.

"They will be disciplined and well-coached," Huff said. "They probably don't want to go up and down with us. If they do, it will probably play into our hands."

Union and Spartanburg learned that lesson the hard way. Both teams tried to match the Indians' up-tempo style, but wore down in the second half.

"We have enough good players that we can keep running fresh bodies in the game," Huff said.

The Indians will again be without starting point guard Emison Hughes, who is in Myrtle Beach practicing for the North-South All- Star game on Saturday. in the 77-59 victory over rival Spartanburg on Tuesday, backups Paris Funderburke and Dershawn Dawkins turned in solid performances.

"Paris and Dershawn did a good job of running the offense," Gaffney coach Mark Huff said.

The Indians also got another big game from Josh Corry, who scored a game-high 24 points after a 36-point effort in the season-opener against Union on Friday.

"Josh is shooting the ball well," Huff said. "He works hard and he's very deserving."

Jeff Brown was the only other Indian in double figures with 20 points.

Huff said he likes his team's offensive execution so early in the season.

"I think we are getting good shots," he said. "We've talked about that with the guys. We want to get good shots."

The Indians are shooting 53 percent from the field this season.