Lynx, Mounts set to enjoy the ‘fun times’ as they battle for Berks IV championship
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Even after a rough start and some uneven performances along the way Oley Valley is right where it wanted to be when the season tipped: Playing for a division title.
The Lynx share the Berks Conference Division IV lead with Antietam and will play the Mounts Thursday at Oley.
“The No. 1 goal for these kids at the beginning of the season was to the win the division,” said Oley Valley coach Chad Walters, “and we have an opportunity to do that.”
Getting to this point wasn’t easy. The Lynx saw their long-time coach, Matt Barrell, resign unexpectedly just weeks before the season. Walters, a former head coach at Twin Valley, is an Oley grad and remained close to the program but wasn’t on staff last season.
The Lynx and their new coach had a big learning curve and little time to adjust to each other.
“We’ve had to learn on the fly,” Walters said.
The Lynx lost four of their first five game. They were still below .500 less than two weeks ago after suffering their worst loss of the season at Schuylkill Valley, where they managed just five total points in the first half.
They bounced back with four straight wins and find themselves in position to win a second straight division title and earn a first-round home game in the District 3 Class 3A Tournament if they close the regular season by winning their final three games.
If they beat Antietam they can wrap up the division title on the final night of the season, at Kutztown. In between they play Lancaster Catholic. Antietam closes its league schedule Tuesday at home against Brandywine Heights.
“It was a long feeling-out period,” Walters said of the transition for him and his players. “I think we’ve crossed that river now and hopefully we’re on the right path.
“It’s been up and down (all season). We’ve had some ugly wins. We couldn’t throw the ball in the Pacific Ocean at Schuylkill Valley. To rebound the way we did (the next game) against Pequea Valley, that probably was the turning point.”
The Lynx (7-3, 11-8) have gotten consistent scoring from their two returning starters, Ben DeBalko (13.0) – who leads the league with 56 3-pointers — and David Turchi (11.6).
Johnny Turchi has adapted well to his new role at point guard and has begun to score more consistently, as well. He had a career-high 20 points in Oley’s latest win, Monday at Brandywine Heights.
“I’m proud of how these guys have accepted their roles,” said Walters, “and we’ve gotten big contributions from other guys than Ben and David. Every game it seems like somebody does something to help us win a basketball game, and it’s been nice to see.”
Antietam (7-3, 10-9) has had its struggles, too. It had to replace three starters from its District 3 Class 2A finalist and began the season with three straight losses. The Lynx were still below .500 eight days ago.
Overtime wins in crossover games against Wyomissing and Hamburg, Jan. 12 and 18, respectively, kept them in position to contend for the division title.
“Antietam has played very well over the last couple of weeks,” Walters said. “They battled Fleetwood, they battled Schuylkill Valley, they beat Wyo. They’ve had some very good games. It’s a team that’s really, really athletic and physical. (AJ) Scheifly is a very nice player, as well as their big guy, Julious Williams.”
Scheifly, a sophomore, has emerged as one of the top guards in the league. He’s averaging 16.8 points, tops in the division and sixth-best in the league, has 27 3-pointers, and gets to the foul line a lot. He’s been consistent, scoring 12 or more points in 18 of the Mounts’ 19 games.
“He can handle the ball, he gets into the lane, he gets others involved and he can knock down a 3 if he’s left open,” Walters said.
Scheifly scored 15 points in the first match-up, which Oley Valley won 51-44 on Dec. 22.
The series has been a tight one: The teams have met 19 times over the past 10 seasons with the Mounts winning 10.
Oley Valley won the division title in 2023 and 2021; Antietam took it in 2022.
The Lynx haven’t won back-to-back division titles in more than two decades, since taking three straight from 1999-01. They also won one in 1996, when Walters was a senior for the Lynx.
Both teams will make the district tournament, though a win is more critical for the Lynx, who moved into the No. 4 spot in the Class 3A power ratings yesterday when York Catholic lost and dropped to No. 5. If Oley can hold onto that No. 4 spot it will open the playoffs at home.
“After a 1-4 start, a lot of (the players might’ve) thought (winning the division) wasn’t achievable,” Walters said, “but here we are. These are the fun times. If you’re still playing meaningful games in February it means you did something right.”