Boys basketball: Lakota West overcomes slow start to beat Olentangy Berlin in regional semis

Lakota West junior Bryce Curry leaps for a dunk while being defended by Olentagy Berlin's Brayden Green during a Division I regional semifinal game on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at the Ohio Expo Center's Taft Coliseum. MICHAEL COOPER / STAFF

Lakota West junior Bryce Curry leaps for a dunk while being defended by Olentagy Berlin's Brayden Green during a Division I regional semifinal game on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at the Ohio Expo Center's Taft Coliseum. MICHAEL COOPER / STAFF

COLUMBUS — The Lakota West boys basketball team are one win away from a return trip to the Division I state tournament.

The Firebirds overcame a sluggish start to beat Olentangy Berlin 55-35 on Thursday, March 12 at Ohio Expo Center’s Taft Coliseum.

Junior Bryce Curry had 14 points and Josh Tyson added 10 as Lakota West (23-1) won its 11th straight game. They advanced to play Pickerington Central in the D-I, Region 3 final at 7 p.m. Saturday back at Taft Coliseum.

Olentangy Berlin finished its season 17-8.

The Firebirds trailed 13-8 in the first quarter when Lakota West coach Kelven Moss called a timeout.

They would never trail again. The Firebirds went on a 10-0 run to take a five-point advantage and led 22-18 at the half.

In the third quarter, they outscored the Bears 19-11 to take a 41-29 lead.

Berlin cut the lead to 10 points in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t get any closer.

A year ago, Lakota West advanced to the D-I final four, falling to Reynoldsburg 64-63 on a buzzer-beater by the Raiders’ Xavier McKinney.

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