As it turned out, he didn’t need to be.

The top-seeded Wolverines led from the opening tip to final buzzer, downing No. 3 Sherman 49-30 for their first sectional crown since 2003.

“I’ve been a wreck for two straight days,” Swanson said. “I hadn’t been this nervous — maybe ever.”

That’s saying something, considering that he was one of the best distance runners in the country during his years at Wake Forest University more than two decades ago.

OBSERVER Photos by Scott Kindberg Section VI Boys Basketball Chairman Larry Jones, far right, presents the Section VI Class D championship plaque to, from left, Westfield’s Ethan Weingart, Cole Holland, Darien Swanson and Wyatt Schuster.

“I was in the Olympic Trials in front of 20,000 people and I don’t think I was as nervous as I was (Thursday) night. … I didn’t tell the boys. I just tried to play it cool.”

Now, the first-year coach can happily exhale knowing that the Wolverines’ season has been extended at least one more week. In fact, last night’s victory, played before a standing-room-only crowd at the Physical Education Complex at Jamestown Community College, sends Westfield (22-1) into the Far West Regional at noon a week from today against the Section V champion at the Buffalo State Sports Arena.

“We’re going to enjoy this for a day or two,” said Swanson, who took over the varsity program from longtime coach Bob North this season. “With a couple of go-to guys, we feel like we can play with anybody in (Class D).”

Last night, Darien Swanson scored a game-high 18 points to go along with eight rebounds, seven assists and a steal, but it was actually the Wolverines’ defense that was the headliner.

Elijah Kioko led the Wildcats (12-8 with 9 points, but the combination of poor shooting (11 of 33 from the field) and turnovers — they committed 19 — was too much to overcome.

Westfield head coach Nolan Swanson hugs Efren Hernandez after winning the Section VI Class D title.

“That’s been our Achilles’ heel, both of those things,” Sherman coach Cory Emory said. “They went into a 2-2-1 halfcourt defense and it gave our guards a lot of trouble.”

Westfield also did a good job containing Wildcats’ senior Gerald Carris, who was limited to 7 points before leaving the game midway through the quarter with an apparent leg injury.

“Credit to Westfield and their defense,” Emory said. “They came up with a plan and didn’t let Gerald get much space, and we weren’t able to dribble penetrate very well.”

The Wolverines, who led 21-14 at halftime, shot considerably better (20 of 42) and committed just 10 turnovers.

The outcome left Coach Swanson in a celebratory mood after the awards ceremony. So much so, in fact, that he performed his version of the griddy dance on the court.

“The kids wanted me to do it,” he said. “I said I’d do it if we won.”

Now Coach Swanson and the boys from Westfield will be shuffling off to Buffalo.

“We’ve been very good at soccer (in recent years) and haven’t broken through and we’ve had really good basketball teams that haven’t broken through. … We haven’t won anything big, and we finally got one. … It’s just incredible. What a feeling.”

NOTES: Cole Holland returned to the lineup after missing the semifinal win over Clymer with an illness. He scored 6 points and Chris Rotunda added 6 points and six rebounds. … Kegan Ayers scored 7 points for the Wildcats.

SHERMAN (30)

Swabik 0 0 0, Carris 2 2 7, Kopta 1 1 3, Ayers 3 0 7, Kioko 4 1 9, Hayes 2 0 4, Totals 12 4 30.

WESTFIELD (49)

Weingart 3 1 7, Barresi 2 0 4, Holland 3 0 6, DSwanson 6 4 18, CSwanson 3 0 7, Schuster 0 1 1, CRotunda 3 0 6, Totals 20 6 49.

3-point goals — Carris, Ayers, DSwanson 2, CSwanson.

Sherman 8 6 6 10 — 30

Westfield 11 10 14 14 — 49