Photo by Jake Olson: Fairmont guard Brayden Williamson (5) looks for his shot during the second half against Luverne on Jan. 13.

FAIRMONT – It would have been easy to lose confidence.

Following Fairmont’s close defeat at the hands of Jackson County Central, a once-14-game winning streak turned into consecutive losses in an instant, with the Cardinals now seeking some last-minute momentum before section play started.

However, head coach Jared Thompson’s team showed the same resilience they have all season long, dismantling Martin County West before beating an impressive St. Peter’s team to close the regular season with a 21-4 record.

The focus now shifts to the bigger picture. This year’s Section 3AA Boys Basketball Tournament is one loaded with talent from top to bottom. For the Cardinals, it’s a chance to continue displaying the success fans have seen so far, hoping the rigorous regular-season schedule pays dividends in future postseason accomplishments.

“We’ve got a resilient and experienced group,” Thompson said. “We lost two close games to good basketball teams, but I feel we didn’t lose our identity in those losses. We didn’t lose what it took to be a good basketball team. I think it was important for these guys to gain some confidence in those moments and down-to-the-wire games.”

Fairmont’s road to the state tournament begins on Friday in the Cardinal gymnasium. The No. 3-seeded Cardinals will take on No. 6 Windom Area starting at 7 p.m. The Eagles enter the postseason with a 12-14 record and have won five of their last six contests. Fairmont bested Windom Area in the two previous matchups this season.

“I don’t think we will be complacent or overconfident just because of seeding or what happened in the previous two games,” Thompson said. “Both of those games were competitive, and Windom’s playing really well of late.”

Winning in different ways

Fairmont’s midseason winning streak was impressive in many facets. Outside of rattling 14 straight victories against teams such as Belle Plaine, Luverne and Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial, the Cardinals have shown how to beat opponents in different ways.

You want effective offense? Look at high-octane victories against Belle Plaine and St. James Area, where the Cardinals scored a combined 155 points on a shooting percentage of 55% from the field.

If it’s a tenacious defensive performance, the Cardinals have shown that too. Fairmont held Luverne, Blue Earth Area and New Ulm to under 50 points on the night through a mix of 2-3 zone and man-to-man schemes that generated turnovers and forced contested looks.

Any given night, a different scorer can show up. On any given night, the defense can simply suffocate an opponent. Thompson thinks this versatility can be beneficial for any sort of success in postseason play.

“It’s really important,” Thompson said. “To make a run in the playoffs and to win in March, you’re going to have to survive some games and have to win ugly a time or two. …We’ve had to outscore some teams the past couple of weeks, but our defense has been a staple for us and something we’ve been able to rely on.”

Bouncing back with authority

The high that Fairmont rode during its near two-month winning streak came crashing down in a hurry.

Deron Russell’s 16-second-half points proved to be the difference in Waseca’s nail-biting victory over the Cardinals on Feb. 12. Two days later, Roman Voss and Weston Rowe combined for nearly half of Jackson County Central’s point total as the Huskies held off an aggressive Fairmont comeback.

Both defeats came from a combined margin of six points, with the Cardinals having a game-tying look in the final seconds of each contest.

“I think there are opportunities to learn in every game. But when you lose, for kids, they are more aware of the things they need to improve on,” Thompson said.

However, Thompson believes the close defeats didn’t affect the group’s belief one bit. Instead, the team continued playing the same brand of basketball they have all season, sticking with the style of play that got them to this point.

Fairmont bounced back as nothing fazed them. Thompson’s team defeated Martin County West and St. Peter in the regular season finale, giving the Cardinals another surge of momentum heading into sections.

“I don’t think we ever got to a point where we were overconfident,” Thompson said. “I don’t think it [losing consecutive games] helped or hurt us.”

The Cardinals enter section play knowing every night will have its own set of challenges. Fairmont has won shootouts, fought through defensive battles and withstood tight finishes – the exact recipe required in a single-elimination tournament.