After making it to the Class 4A title game a year ago, perhaps the best encouragement for White Bear Lake coach Jeremy Post as the Bears headed into this year’s playoffs was the fact that they struggled.

And, of course, that they got through it.

After winning seven of their previous eight games by double digits — including the first two rounds of the Section 4 tournament — the Bears were just able to slide by Woodbury 42-39 in the section final to punch their ticket to state.

“We aren’t used to struggling that much,” Post said. “And it didn’t look good there for a while [when Woodbury was up by five in the second half]. But they found a way to do it.”

Before the section tournament, Post challenged his team to play harder than they were and to always want to win more than the other team. The message seemed to sink it: The Bears’ stellar defense complements their shooting prowess. Against Woodbury — when the Bears couldn’t get their outside game clicking — those extra stops were huge.

“I’m surprised how well we’ve been defensively,” Post said. “I didn’t know what we were going to be like this year. We’re a little bigger and longer than I’m used to, but our defense has been really solid all year long.”

That will be tested immediately at state, where the Bears will face Maple Grove’s balanced offensive attack. The Crimson has three players averaging double digits in the playoffs, while the Bears have only one in junior guard Alexis Foley.