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Okay, sorry ... a lot more than that.

"I can't even count that high. Easily a million, probably," Hughes said with a smile.

He walked into the grand, old gym once again Thursday night. Make it one million and one.

But this time, it was different --- Hughes was now all about Black and Gold, not Red and Black.

Hughes, a 12-year assistant basketball coach for the Jefferson City Jays, is now head coach of the Sedalia Smith-Cotton Tigers --- his first position as head coach. Previous to being a top assistant, he worked with the middle school programs in Jefferson City.

Fleming Fieldhouse was his second home for so many years, you would think this Homecoming might be a bit awkward. Not really --- mind games took care of that.

"When I walked in tonight, besides seeing everyone I know, it was like a regular game," Hughes said. "I've already been through that --- I've been thinking about this forever.

"I'm past that now. It's time to play."

Playing their season opener, the Jays walloped the Tigers, 77-43, hitting a startling 21-of-26 shots in the second half and turning a 13-point halftime lead into a 34-point blowout win.

This is a great start for head coach Blair Thompson and the Jays (plenty more on them to come), but it was not so good for Hughes and the Tigers. But they will have better days.

"I want to win every game and this was just another game," Hughes said. "It's just like when we play Clinton next week in our first conference game, we want to win that game. It doesn't matter who we play.

"When you take this long to get to this point, like I have, and you're finally doing what you want to do, you want to win every game. I'm going to cherish every game and put everything I've got into every game."

The Tigers are in good hands --- and they sure need the help, knowledge and passion Hughes will bring. Smith-Cotton has had only one --- ONE --- winning season the last 18 years.

"I call it three phases," Hughes said. "One phase, you have to enjoy playing the game; then, you have to want to play and compete; then, you want to play to win. We're going up those channels right now.

"Right now, we're playing and competing, and we will compete at a high level. Playing to win is just the little execution points, because our guys are hungry. They want it."

This won't be an easy hill to climb for Hughes. But the Tigers certainly have a Ray of Hope.

"I've been blessed with this opportunity and I'm going to make the most of it," he said. We're going to do everything we can to make this a contending program year in and year out, and make sure our kids have the right attitude and play the right way.

"That's the vision I see."