By Kevin Asseo Our man in the US

Braun's Bears are more used to getting the thumbs-up this season

As Richard Midgley sat in front of a TV at the University of California awaiting his team's placement in the NCAA tournament, it was hard to tell the Briton was about to step onto one of American sport's biggest stages.

With the coolness California fans have come to expect from the 19-year-old from Burgess Hill, Midgley did not so much as raise an eyebrow.

The 64-team tournament - also known as "March Madness" - is the climax to the college hoops season and, unusually for US sport, is conducted on a straight knockout basis.

The winning team members make waves across the country, boosting their chances of landing lucrative NBA contracts.

Just a freshman (first year), Midgley has played beyond his years at California.

He cemented his spot as the team's starting point guard just a few games into the season and then helped guide the Bears to a spot in the "Big Dance," where they will face North Carolina State in a first-round game on 20 March.

MARCH MADNESS Teams: 64 Defending champ: Maryland Top seeds: Kentucky, Arizona, Texas and Oklahoma When: 20 March-7 April Where: Regional finals - New York, Texas, Minnesota and California. Final - Louisiana What is March Madness?

California, a team that most pundits picked to be near the bottom of the Pac-10 Conference, surpassed all expectations this season.

They finished the year with a 21-8 record, earning a place in the Associated Press Top 25.

For the Bears, whose biggest weakness was expected to be in the backcourt this season, Midgley's consistent, hard-nosed performance has been a very pleasant surprise.

Shortly after California's spot in March Madness was announced, BBC Sport spoke to Midgley and Bears head coach Ben Braun.

"Richard has been really competitive for our team. He's a fighter," Braun said.

"He's a tough kid, and he's had a big impact on our team."

Midgley's impact on the Bears certainly has not gone unnoticed in the States, as he was named to the Pac-10 all-freshman team this season.

It speaks volumes about his maturity and talent that after just three seasons of organised basketball in the US - he spent two seasons at Modesto Christian High School in California - he has adapted his game to suit the American style.

Midgley is learning from the likes of Amit Tamir

"The game's more intense over here," Midgley said. "People focus on defence more than we do in England.

"In England, it's just about outscoring your opponent."

Outscoring your opponent is something Midgley proved quite capable of as a youngster - he once scored 96 points in the UK's Under-15 Cup final.

But with California's high-scoring trio of Amit Tamir, Joe Shipp and Brian Wethers sharing the court, Midgley has had to concentrate on other areas of the game.

"I'm just a freshman," Midgley said. "There are guys who have been here a long time, who are a lot older and stronger. So they take a lot of responsibility this year. I'll probably do that down the line."

He may have to do it sooner rather than later.

Playing against North Carolina State in the first round (and possibly top seed Oklahoma in the second), the opponents' defences are sure to focus on Tamir, Shipp and Wethers, which could leave the door wide open for Midgley to step into the spotlight.

"We've got three main guys, so a lot of the attention is going to be on them," Midgley said. "That leaves some open shots for me and gives me the chance to do some things."

Braun has no doubts that Midgley is going to play a vital role for the Bears in his first foray into March Madness.

He said. "There have been times this year when people have put their attention on Joe Shipp or Amit Tamir or Wethers and Richard has stepped up. We're going to need more of that."