Newberry High varsity boys' basketball coach Chad Cary understands that there are high standards and expectations for his team.

Three consecutive region titles and an Upper State finals appearance will do that.

The Bulldogs have opened the season 5-5 and will close out their non-region slate tomorrow at home against Fairfield Central.

The game is set to begin approximately 15 minutes after the conclusion of the 6 p.m. girls' contest between those schools.

The ‘Dogs have had 15 days off after finishing fourth in the Newberry Christmas Classic. They opened up the tournament Dec. 19 with an easy victory against Calhoun Falls, but fell to Columbia and 1-A power Great Falls to end the three-day classic.

Newberry has played a brutal non-region, including a home-and-home series with Great Falls and Fairfield Central.

“When you look who we've lost to, we're not that bad,” Cary said. “We lost three to Great Falls, and they've only lost one game to C.A. Johnson. We don't have anything to be disappointed about. We just need to get better.”

Newberry has focused on the little things and practiced everyday except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

“We worked on some things that we haven't been doing a very good job of, like shooting, but there's no need to concentrate on that too much because it can become mental,” Cary said. “We're trying to get better defensively, and just get more consistent. That will come with more game experience, but we're getting there. We have two returning players that played a lot.”

The ‘Dogs will be relying a lot in the region season on its inside game, led by Jay Jay Suber and Bobby Coleman. Both have played well in spurts, and were a part of region championship teams in the past.

This year, the expectations are the same, despite it being a wide-open race.

“I hate to say it, but we're kind of used to (being expected to win the region),” Cary said. “Our kids expect it every year, and that's one good thing about having success. They take it as a challenge. We've won it the last three years, but we don't want to just stop there. We want to go further.”

The ‘Dogs open region play Tuesday at Saluda, before coming home Friday to face Emerald.