There were nerves, anxieties and tension.
That’s what happens when the overwhelming majority of your team has never played in a postseason game.
But when Middleton’s boys basketball team found its sea legs last Friday, it looked like the group that surprised foes all season long.
Middleton trailed visiting Madison La Follette, 26-25, at halftime of its WIAA Division 1 sectional semifinal. But the Cardinals played a terrific second half and pulled away for a 63-44 win.
Middleton, the No. 5 seed in the sectional, improved to 17-6. La Follette, which was seeded 12th, ended the year 10-13.
“This was the first tournament experience for a lot of our guys,” Middleton coach Kevin Bavery said. “And there were some uncharacteristic things our guys did early.
“But we played really well in the second half, and it gives you a good, genuine feeling. It really validates your season. For us that was the pressure game.”