The 4-0 Indian basketball team starts the second round of district Tuesday in Greenwood.

“Our first goal was to go undefeated in the first round in district,” junior Jarod Adams said. “Our second goal is to go undefeated in the second round and become district champions.”

The Rangers have been the favorites to win the district in preseason polls and the Indians need to disprove that prediction.

“The Greenwood game will probably be one of the hardest games in district,” junior Tanner Moore said. “They [Greenwood] might have been favored in district, but for us to play them will be motivation if we win the games, since it will be the best chance to be district champs.”

The Rangers nip at the Indians’ heels in the district race, and Tuesday’s game will be a chance for the Indians to improve.

“Anytime you get the opportunity to go play the team right behind you in the district standings you can create a difference from the standings which is good,” Coach Paul Page said. “The game will be very important.”

Junior Rance Layton said he thinks the team will do well against the Rangers because the Indians tend to play better when it’s a big game.

“I think we’re doing well in district so far,” Layton said. “I think the Greenwood game will show that if we can beat them, we are good enough to be district champions and that we are the best.”

A rivalry like the Indian-Ranger one drives the Indians to achieve.

“The game is important to the team in that no one really likes Greenwood, and we don’t want to be the team that loses to them,” Adams said. “We just got to execute and do well on our defense.”

Page does not look past district yet.

“Just being half way through district we’re not really looking at the playoffs yet,” Page said. “We’re more concerned about district games and working hard to become district champions.”

Estacado has been a challenge for the Indians before and is still looms on the horizon for the Indians, but the Lubbock team cannot take over thoughts yet.

“We’re not thinking about Estacado at the moment,” Page said. “We’re thinking about what we need to do to get better every day– Daily focus not future focus.”

Moore said district presents challenges in the second round.

“We’ve had some close games in district…,” Moore said. “It’s not going to be easy for the rest of the season.”

The Indians won 77-56 against Fort Stockton on Jan. 25 bringing their overall record to 16-8.

“Our goal is to be undefeated district champs,” Moore said. “We haven’t reached it yet, but we are on our way.”

Senior Jonathan Meatte was the leading scorer against the Panthers with 20 points.

“I managed to get 20 points at the game against Fort Stockton by execution,” Meatte said. “We worked hard and the team really helped.”

The team, like its motto, keeps “pressing on” through district.

“That’s what we are doing and what we are going to keep doing,” Moore said.