Old Lyme — The Old Lyme boys’ basketball team is so close to entering unchartered territory.

The Wildcats, for all their successes, have never played for a state title. They’ve only reached a state semifinal once (2013), too.

Old Lyme is a win away from its first state final and a trip to Mohegan Sun Arena this weekend. The third-seeded Wildcats play No. 2 Somers on Wednesday night in a CIAC Division V semifinal at Maloney of Meriden (7).

“I think we're pretty ready,” Wildcats junior post Aedan Using said. “We went into this season with the expectation that we would make it this far. We were accepting nothing less than a Shoreline championship and a state championship.”

The Wildcats lost in overtime to Cromwell, 52-46, in the Shoreline Conference final on March 1.

“We still have a chance to redeem ourselves,” Using said. “I’m sure there’s some anxiety in some of the players. It’s a big stage. … This is obviously new grounds for our team and all our of players, but we’re ready.”

Old Lyme (20-5) returned three starters this season — senior guard Ray Doll and juniors Brady Sheffield (guard) and Using. The latter has started since the third game of his freshman year.

Using scored a game-high 22 in the Wildcats’ 61-41 quarterfinal rout of sixth-seeded Morgan on Monday. Sheffield added 17 points and Doll 10.

The combination of Using (6-foot-5) and senior Olin Frederiks (6-4) inside and the Wildcats’ fleet of guards have made them a tough matchup this season.

“We have a lot of guards who can attack the paint, so we can come at you in a bunch of different ways,” Wildcats head coach Kirk Kaczor said. “Sheffield and Aedan are certainly our big two, but Ray Doll has done a good job. (Senior Quinn) Romeo has done a good job. Olin Frederiks had a really nice defensive game (Monday) and gave us some points as well.

“Late in the game, I had (senior reserve guard) Liam Holloway out there because he was just playing outstanding defense for us. Different guys step up at different times for us. We feel like we have a pretty complete team, and we have an unique opportunity to play in the state semifinals.”

Somers (18-5) thumped No. 10 Shepaug Valley, 75-49, in its quarterfinal Monday. Senior Alex Barresi (6-2) had 12 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds, and classmate Colin Watt (6-6) added 22 points and 10 rebounds.

“I’ve seen a little bit (on Somers),” Kaczor said. “They're athletic. They’ve got a good big (Watt). They can shoot the ball well. They’ve got a bunch of guys who can ball handle. … They’ve got some nice wings. They’re tough.”

Using said, “We were determined to get this far, and we’re prepared, and I think we’ve worked hard enough to make it this far.

“I think we’ve earned this.”

n.griffen@theday.com