Miami Country Day ends Riviera Prep’s boys’ basketball state championship streak
They knew it would take a collective effort to take down one of the state’s perennial best.
On Saturday night, Miami Country Day’s boys’ basketball team got it from a group eager to etch its own name into the school’s history books.
Led by Jordan Corbitt’s 24 points and eight assists and Miguel Orbe’s 23 points, the Spartans secured the signature win they’ve been hoping for when they took down three-time reigning state champion Riviera Prep, 84-76, at the Bulldogs’ home gym.
Miami Country Day (23-7) will now join its girls’ team counterparts at next week’s state final four in Jacksonville. While the Spartans’ girls are in search of their 11th state championship, the boys are two wins away from winning their first.
Miami Country Day’s first hurdle to overcome in Jacksonville is a matchup on Friday with Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic in a Class 2A state semifinal.
Kaleb Corbitt also finished with 18 points and eight assists for the Spartans, who also had Fernando Romero finish with 14 points.
Miami Country Day avenged last year’s loss to Riviera Prep (19-10) in the regional finals. The Bulldogs had advanced to state in four consecutive seasons, but had been dealing with a couple of injuries to key players including star senior guard Myles Fuentes.
MORE RESULTS
Region 4-3A final - NSU University School 74, Cardinal Gibbons 63: It didn’t bother the Sharks that they had to play Saturday at Cardinal Gibbons after beating the Chiefs three weeks ago in the District 13 final.
The Sharks broke open a close game with a 14-2 run in the third quarter and advanced to the state semifinals. The Chiefs got to play host because they had a higher FHSAA rating (26.717) than the Sharks (25.677).
“It really doesn’t matter where we play. We’ve got to keep our kids locked in,” Sharks coach Patrick Farrelly said. “We live by the five P’s: Proper preparation prevents poor performance. It doesn’t matter where we go.”
NSU University School (23-5) advanced to the state final four for the first time since winning back-to-back state titles in 2018 and 2019. The Sharks next face a tall order against nationally-ranked and defending Class 3A state champion Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian on Friday in a state semifinal.
“I knew we had some fans coming in, and I knew we were really prepared, so it wasn’t really nothing for me,” said Sharks leading scorer Sean Jones, who scored 10 of his 24 points in a span of 2:39 during the decisive third-quarter run.
Farrelly added: “Sean Jones can score at all three levels. He’s a leader in the locker room. Sean is just an amazing player, an amazing student. He played defense well tonight. He’s just a special dude. A lot of folks are not looking at him -- they’re missing someone special.”
Jones scored seven points in the first quarter, then opened the second with an assist to 6-foot-8 junior Ahmed Mustapha, whose flying dunk pushed the Sharks’ lead to 25-14.
Then the Chiefs (22-7) went on a 14-2 tear. Leading scorer Justus Herbert scored 8 of his 17 points during the run, and his conventional 3-point play gave Cardinal Gibbons their only lead of the game: 28-27 with 2:11 remaining in the half.
“We missed some defensive assignments, we didn’t execute our offensive sets,” Farrelly said.
The Sharks, who made 22 of 27 free throws, closed the half by making 5 of 6 to take a 32-28 lead at the half.
Juan Fernandez’s 3-pointer got the Chiefs within 37-35 early in the third quarter. But it came moments after 6-foot-5 forward Demarcus DeRoche picked up his fourth foul.
Jones scored in the paint midway through the quarter to push the lead to 41-35, then scored again almost a minute later. His dunk off a Jordan Moshe steal and pass made it 47-35. He hit a bank shot moments later, and finished the run by scoring after grabbing an inbound pass.
“I just wanted to get my team collected so we can go on own run, get the lead back up again and just finish the game out,” Jones said.
Just before the run ended, Chiefs starting guard Jordan Hinson fouled out with 1:39 left in the third quarter.
Mustapha took control in the fourth quarter, during which he scored 14 of his 19 points and constantly disrupted the Chiefs offense.
“Mustapha’s always going to make his presence felt,” Farrelly said. “He’s another one who can score at three levels. Just because he’s in the middle, that don’t mean he cannot go mid-range or hit a trey ball. But his defensive presence is always there. Big rebounds, big blocks, just talking on defense. He’s also one of our biggest leaders.”
Sharks junior guard Emonas Zilinskas made all 12 of his free throws and finished with 15 points.
Senior guard AJ Ambrose led the Chiefs with 24 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter. Sophomore guard Chandler Sikes scored 10.
Farrelly said the team won’t mind the considerably longer trip to the state championships, which were held in Lakeland for many years.
“We’ll go anywhere. It started in pre-condition. We said, ‘We’re going northbound.’ At the end of the day we’re going to well-prepared, ready to go.”
BOB ELLIOTT
Region 4-6A final - St. Thomas Aquinas 77, Miramar 43: Early into the third quarter, the defending state champion Raiders saw their lead shrink to five points at 39-34 against Miramar.
Consider that a short time threat.
The Raiders changed the narrative, regained momentum as they would go on to punish the Patriots.
It was the seventh time this season that St. Thomas won games by 30-plus points or more.
St. Thomas (26-4) advances to a state semifinal game at the University of North Florida on March 12 where it will play Tampa Sickles. Two more victories would give the Raiders back-to-back state titles for the first time in school history.
“I think we just settled down little bit,” Aquinas coach Julius Sandi said. “We’ve been hyped about this game all week long. Second half we got into a little foul trouble, switched our defense and we were able to come through.”
Clarence Westbrook Jr., Drake Sandi, Kellson Sandi and Xavier Pink collaborated to help the team create distance themselves and the Patriots.
Westbrook led all scorers with a game-high 22 points, while Drake Sandi added 18 points, Kellson Sandi 17 points and Pink 13 points. In the fourth quarter alone, the Raiders outscored Miramar 28-4 and 40-18 in the second half.
“We talked about staying composed if they made some runs,” Drake Sandi said. “We weren’t worried because we’ve been here before. Once we chipped away and had the ball in our favor so that’s all.”
Pink came off the bench with Nate Accius and Zane Elliott in foul trouble to contribute nine of his 13 points in the second half.
In the BCAA Big 8 championship on Jan. 31, St. Thomas edged Miramar 68-60. The Patriots (21-9) were led by Ronald Germielle, a 6-11 junior power-forward with 15 points with eight coming when the Patriots cut into the Raiders lead in the third quarter.
DAVE BROUSSEAU
Region 4-1A final - Sagemont 76, Dade Christian 34: The Lions (22-6) crushed the visiting Warriors (26-3) to advance to the state final four for the fifth consecutive season. Sagemont is chasing its fourth consecutive state title, and will take on Ocoee Central Florida Christian on Thursday in a Class 1A state semifinal.
Region 4-5A final - Pembroke Pines Charter 75, Belen 51: The Jaguars (20-6) advanced to the state final four for the second time in three seasons and will try to win their second state championship over that span. Belen (24-6) lost for the second consecutive season to Pines Charter in the regional playoffs.
The Jaguars will next face Lecanto at UNF Arena in Jacksonville on Wednesday in a Class 5A state semifinal at a time to be determined.
Region 4-4A final - Riviera Beach Suncoast 55, Stranahan 50 (OT): The Mighty Dragons’ bid for back-to-back state titles came up short as they finished 14-14.
This story was originally published March 1, 2026 at 3:57 AM.
