That left out feeling
¦ Gaffney sits home during playoffs for first time in 9 years
By LARRY HILLIARD Ledger Sports Editor larry@gaffneyledger.com

Shooting guard Ty Dawkins is one of six seniors the Indians must replace next season. Gaffney is looking toward next year after missing the playoffs for the first time in nine years.

For the first time in nine years, the Class 4A playoffs won't include the Gaffney Indians.

The Indians were eliminated from postseason contention Friday when Spartanburg beat Dorman to capture the final playoff spot.

"I'm disappointed that we didn't make the playoffs," Gaffney coach Mark Huff said. "I'm sorry that this is the end of the season for our seniors. You don't want them to end the season with two losses in a row."

After beginning the season at 10-0 and 2-0 in the region, the Indians never recovered from the loss of Jeff Brown and Jazz Palmer, who received suspensions for flagrant technical fouls after a narrow home loss to region champion Hillcrest.

That setback sent the Indians on a downward spiral, losing five of their last seven region games.

"The region was as strong a region as I've ever coached in," Huff said. "But looking back, losing Jazz and Jeff really hurt us. But it has to be a learning experience. You can't get suspended for a game and it not effect your team."

"It might be the best thing not making the playoffs," Huff added. "We weren't playing our best basketball and we had to go to the No. 1 seed (Fort Mill)."

Next season, the Indians must replace their starting backcourt of Palmer and Robert Butler, their two top reserves in Johnny Woods and Ty Dawkins and two valuable backups in Jared Teague and Eddie Jefferies.

But Huff said he's excited about next year's team, which features returning starters Bubba Wright, Josh Corry and Brown.

"Every year you lose seniors that you have to replace," he said. "You just have to replace them as best as you can. But I feel good about next year's team. We'll just have to work hard over the summer."

Huff said the team's top priority is to improve its shooting. Gaffney finished the season in a shooting slump, hitting just 38 percent of its shots against Mauldin and 25 percent in a season-ending loss at Hillcrest.

Huff was preparing as if the Indians have qualified for the playoffs. But that didn't happen when Dorman lost at Spartanburg Friday.

"We have to improve our shooting," the Gaffney coach said. "You can't even beat a bad team when you shoot 25 percent."