HIGH POINT — Just when Jennifer Shoaf thought her Salisbury girls basketball team could make some noise this season, she lost her leading scorer Sherree Gillespie in the second game of the season with a badly-sprained left ankle.

Last night, just when Shoaf thought her team could beat some of the lower-echelon teams and make the playoffs, Gillespie may have been lost for the season.

In the third quarter of a 77-36 pasting at the hands of juggernaut High Point Central, Gillespie went down again, possibly for good.

“Inside sprain, same ankle,” Shoaf said with a sad shake of the head. “It’s good and bad. The (High Point Central) trainer said she needs to see a doctor. But we don’t play until next Friday. She needs time to heal.”

Gillespie actually kept Salisbury in the game Friday night with six first quarter points. The Hornets trailed by eight but had scored 14 points.

When Keke Chunn scored to open the second period, Salisbury was within 22-16.

“We played pretty well for awhile,” Shoaf said. “But then we did some unnecessary things, like traveling, dribbling into traps ... mental things. And when we start doing that, it’s contagious.”

The Bison finally said enough is enough when Salisbury creeped within six. They went on an 11-0 run and led 44-21 at halftime.

“We do that sometimes,” said Central coach Kenny Carter of allowing Salisbury to hang around. “We do it against Lexington. Once, against North Stanly, we were down by eight at halftime and won by 30.”

The Bison eventually won by 41 Friday night.

Even without Gillespie, the Hornets outscored Central in a yawner of a third quarter 9-8. Jenny Reilly took over the scoring slack, with seven of her team-high 13 points in the period.

With the game far out of reach, Velinda Vuncannon took over the fourth quarter. She scored 12 and dished out three more assists. She had eight for the game.

“She does such a good job of penetrating and when she’s not shooting, she’s dishing to her teammates,” praised Shoaf.” That’s where the three-pointers really kill you. The shooters aren’t open. She gets them open. She puts on a show with her little moves. She’s a fireplug.”

Vuncannon scored a game-high 18 points and finished things off with a wrap-around move while going in for a layup.

In the end, Shoaf was disheartened because of Gillespie’s condition.

“We can make the playoffs if we beat Lexington, East Davidson and North Stanly,” said Shoaf. “With Sherree, we could do that. But without her, we probably won’t. We’re just not very deep and we’re not going to put a lot of points on the board without her.”

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NOTES: Gillespie finished with just eight points. ... The sprain was so bad, Gillespie couldn’t walk out of the gym on her own. Her dad rode her piggy-back. ... Salisbury was 10-of-19 from the field in the first half but also had 19 turnovers. ... Central hit eight threes. ... Salisbury needs a win against Lexington next Friday. Will Gillespie play? “I’ll let her make that decision,” Shoaf said.

SALISBURY (36) — Reilly 13, Gillespie 8, Chunn 6, Charleston 3, Atkinson 2, Robinson 2, Wingerson 2, Taylor, Bauk.

H.P. Central (77) — Vuncannon 18, Cook 13, Warren 11, Hendley 11, Ward 8, Redpath 8, Green 4, Kirby 4.

Salisbury 14 8 9 6 — 36