Oley Valley’s season ends with loss to Columbia

Oley Valley’s most successful basketball team in nearly 20 years still wasn’t able to crack the state tournament.

The Lynx came up one win short, falling to top-seeded Columbia 69-57 Monday night in the District 3 Class 3A third-place game. The Crimson Tide (20-5) locked up the third and final spot for the state tournament by pulling out to a 20-point halftime lead.

The Lynx end the season at 19-7 after losing for the third time in four postseason games. The Berks IV champs had their highest win total since the 2004-05 season, when they finished 22-5. They were eliminated in the opening round of the district tournament that season.

Third-seeded Oley Valley opened districts with a 67-53 win over division rival Brandywine Heights, snapping a 10-game postseason losing streak and winning a district playoff game for the first time since 2007.

The Lynx, whose strength this season was on the defensive end, couldn’t stop the Tide, which opened with a 20-point first quarter. Brelon Miller scored seven of his game-high 21 points in the opening period as Columbia went out in front 20-7.

Jordan Poole, who finished with 18 points, opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer; the Lynx were outscored 14-7 in the second quarter and trailed 34-14 at the half. The Lynx gave up 78 and 69 points, the two highest point totals allowed all season, in their final two games.

Chase Rubendall scored 17 points, one below his season-high, to lead Oley. Jaden Kelly scored 14 and David Turchi had 10.

Columbia, the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section IV champ, snapped three game losing streak. It lost its district opener to No. 5 Delone Catholic 54-48. Delone meets Trinity Tuesday at 7:45 for the district championship.

Columbia will open the PIAA Tournament March 11 against the District 12 champion.