Middleton's basketball team irked by No. 5 seed

Shock.

Amazement.

Disbelief.

This was the reaction from Middleton’s boys basketball program after it received the No. 5 seed in its WIAA Division 1 sectional Sunday.

The Cardinals are 19-4 this season, with their only losses coming against teams currently ranked in the top-10. Middleton also remains in contention for a Big Eight Conference title.

Just two weeks ago, the WIAA did a mid-season seeding report and Middleton was a No. 2 seed in its sectional. In the time since, the sixth-ranked Cardinals lost at the buzzer to No. 10 Verona and fell to No. 8 DePere.

Somehow, though, Middleton plummeted to a No. 5 seed, leaving the Cardinals dazed and confused.

“Gotta be a misprint, right?” Middleton coach Kevin Bavery deadpanned. “We were surprised about the No. 5 seed, thinking No. 3 would be the lowest. But in the end it's not about the seed. If you're going to win your sectional you have to be better than everyone at any time.”

Middleton will host 12^th-seeded Janesville Craig in a regional semifinal on March 6. If the Cardinals win there, they’d face the winner of fourth-seeded Waunakee and 13^th-seeded Mukwonago in a regional final March 7 at 7 p.m.

Third-ranked Madison Memorial (22-1) was the obvious No. 1 seed in the sectional. What was surprising to many of the Cardinals was that Beloit Memorial, Verona and Waunakee all jumped over Middleton since the mid-season seeding report.

While second-seeded Beloit is 20-2, it plays in the underwhelming Southern Lakes Conference. The Purple Knights’ strength of schedule is also 168^th, while Middleton’s is 56^th.

Middleton and third-seeded Verona split their two games this season, with each team winning on the other’s home court. Verona (17-4 overall, 13-3 league) is also 1 ½-games behind the Cardinals in the Big Eight Conference and has a loss to Sun Prairie West, which is 8-15.

And fourth-seeded Waunakee (17-5) has more losses than Middleton, plays in a weaker conference (Badger Large), and has lost by 25 points to a sub-.500 DeForest team and by 27 points to Beaver Dam.

Middleton, meantime, played non-conference games against Fox River Classic Conference co-leader DePere, Fox Valley Association co-leader Kaukauna, and won at Classic 8 Conference champion Arrowhead.

After the seeds were announced, Bavery was understandably frustrated.

“It's about the respect regarding the season we've had to date,” Bavery said. “I'll take losses in great games to teams like DePere and Kaukauna any day compared to mismatch wins with lesser opponents that don't give any real opportunity for growth.”