By BRIAN CUNNIFF

Staff Writer

NORTH WILDWOOD – The Middle Township High School basketball drew on its close-game experience to scratch out a victory in a playoff game in the inaugural Cape-Atlantic League Tournament Friday night.

The Panthers, seeded sixth in the tournament, fought back from a three-point deficit at the close of three quarters to top third-seeded Wildwood Catholic, 44-41, to advance to Tuesday’s semifinal round, where they’ll play top-seeded St. Augustine Prep at Hammonton High school at 7 p.m.

“We’ve played 22 games before tonight, and I bet 18 of them were decided in the last minute,” said Middle coach Tom Feraco. “In a game like this, maybe we had a little more in our back pocket than they did, maybe a little more experience and know-how in a close game like this.”

Darrell Shelton, only two days after leaving a game with an injured ankle, netted 13 points to lead the Panthers, who trailed 29-26 at the end of three quarters. LaMarr Greer added 11 points, getting nine of them on three first-quarter three-pointers. And Jeff Barber sank six of his 10 points in the final period for Middle (15-8), which beat Catholic (16-8) for the second time this season.

“I can’t tell you how proud we are of our kids,” Feraco said. “It’s very hard to beat someone a second time, especially with so much at stake and with the game being in their gym. It almost seemed like coming in that things were pointing to their side, but our kids found a way.”

Wildwood Catholic did not have a layer finish in double figures. James Baumgardner and Eddie McWade led the Crusaders with eight points each.

After being ahead by three at the start of the fourth quarter, “I expected us to take control of the game by getting the ball inside and scoring but we weren’t able to do it,” Wildwood Catholic coach Dave DeWeese said. “We just didn’t score around the basket. I thought we missed a lot of easy ones.”

The other CAL semifinal will pit second-seeded Atlantic City against fifth-seeded Holy Spirit, which beat fourth-seeded Holy Spirit, 62-61, in overtime in the other first-round game.