Seeking own basketball glory, Miami Country Day boys move closer to state
For the longest time, the Miami Country Day boys’ basketball program has played in the gigantic shadow of the girls’ program.
The girls have won 10 state championships over the last 12 seasons and, as the overall No. 1 ranked team in the state (regardless of classification) this season with a 24-2 record, are a heavy favorite to make it 11 in 13 seasons.
The boys? With just one state final four appearance in program history, a semifinal loss to Boca Raton St. Andrews in 2021, they’re still waiting for banner number one.
But after coming within four points of upsetting eventual state champion Riviera Prep a year ago in the regional final, Spartans coach Ralph Mata and his players feel like maybe this might be their time.
As the No. 2 seed in one of the tougher regions in the state (4-2A), they’re still going to perhaps have to deal with No. 1 seed Riviera again. But they have to get to that game first.
It almost all went up in smoke on Saturday night as Country Day traveled to Hollywood to take on No. 7 Chaminade-Madonna in a Region 4-2A quarterfinal matchup and nearly stumbled before even getting out of the starting blocks.
The Spartans, who had to play a road game despite being the higher seed because they suffered an upset loss to Doral Divine Savior in the district championship game while Chaminade won its district, watched a game they seemingly had under control turn into a dog fight down the stretch.
But in the end, Country Day got the key shots down the stretch it needed to pull out a 58-51 win and advance to next Saturday’s regional semifinal round.
They will now return to the friendly confines of their home gym and host No. 6 Westminster Academy which pulled off a mild 60-59 road upset of No. 3 True North Classical Academy. Riviera Prep routed Archbishop Carroll in its quarterfinal matchup and will host Divine Savior in the other semifinal.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy because Chaminade is a well-coached and well-disciplined team so we knew coming in here that it was going to be a fight,” said Mata, now in his ninth season heading up the boys program. “We got a big lead and maybe got a little bit too comfortable. We took a few bad shots and that enabled them to start chipping away at our lead. But I’m proud of how our boys fought and made the plays down the stretch when we absolutely had to have them.”
Mata referred to late in the third quarter when his team, which trailed Chaminade 18-13 early in the second quarter before going on a 15-0 run to take control of the game, was cruising along with a 42-28 lead with two minutes left in the third.
Then the well went dry. Country Day started taking some ill-advised shots and went cold as ice.
The next thing they knew, the Lions (10-14) went on an extended 20-6 run. A put-back bucket by Santana Henderson III in which he got fouled and then made the free throw, brought Chaminade all the way back to a 48-48 tie with 4:09 to play.
But Jordan Corbitt, who scored six of his 12 points in the final three minutes, came through with a big basket off an alley-oop missed shot a minute later to put his team up for good at 50-48. Leading 52-51 with a minute left and Chaminade trying to foul to put the Spartans at the line, Jake Sheppard found Miguel Orbey streaking alone toward the basket and made a great pass to give Orbey an easy layup.
Chaminade’s Lunden Knights, who led all scorers in the game with 19 points, then got a nice look from beyond the arc with 30 seconds left which would’ve tied the game but the ball bounced off the back iron.
The Spartans (21-7) then made all four of their free throws in the final 30 seconds to complete the scoring.
“I think maybe we got a little overzealous, maybe a little bit too comfortable and started taking some bad shots and we lost our offensive rhythm and that got us in trouble,” said Corbitt, a junior who transferred from Pompano Beach Blanche Ely last summer. “Coach preaches to keep things simple, and we stopped doing that, and it got us in trouble. Fortunately we were able to hit the shots in the end that got us the dub (win).”
Fernando Romero and Orbey led the way for Country Day with 16 and 15 points respectively, followed by Corbitt with 12.
“I definitely think it’s our time and maybe our turn,” said Mata when asked about dealing with staring at all the girls championship banners in the gym and none to claim for themselves. “We were right there a year ago and pushed Riviera to the brink before coming up four points short. Just about all of this group was there for that so they know what it takes now. We’ve been building every day since that night but we’ve got to win another game before we even see them so we’re just going to have to keep grinding.”
MORE BOYS’ RESULTS
Region 4-7A - Western 54, Cypress Bay 53: Calvin Thompson had 19 points to lead the Wildcats (17-8), and Jovan Rodriguez had 16 points, four assists and two blocks. Western will next travel to face four-time reigning state champion Columbus on Saturday at 7. Cypress Bay finished 21-6.
Region 4-5A - Belen Jesuit 67, Stuart South Fork 30: The Wolverines (23-5) wasted no time establishing control. Orlando Roche scored inside and out as Belen jumped to a 20-12 lead after the first quarter, pushing the pace while forcing South Fork into tough shots. But it was the second quarter that broke the game open.
Belen held the Bulldogs to just four points in the period, turning defensive stops into transition buckets and crisp half-court execution. The Wolverines poured in 23 points in the frame to take a commanding 43-16 lead into halftime.
“I thought we defended the way we’ve defended all year and at this time of year it’s the most important part of our game,” Belen coach Chachi Rodriguez said.
The third quarter brought more of the same. Roche continued to assert himself on both ends, finishing with 23 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in a complete performance. Lucas Diaz added 14 points, five rebounds and four assists, providing steady scoring from the perimeter. Alec Arnholt chipped in eight points while dishing out five assists and grabbing five rebounds as Belen’s unselfish offense carved up South Fork’s defense.
Region 4-3A - Cardinal Gibbons 76, Gulliver 49: Kyler Ambrose had 20 points and four assists while AJ Ambrose had 13 points, nine assists and six steals. Justus Herbert had 18 points, five rebounds and six assists. Gibbons (21-6) will next host Pine Crest in the regional semifinals.
Region 4-1A - Dade Christian 61, Westwood Christian 41: Gabriel Alonso had 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Crusaders (26-2), who will next host West Palm Beach Atlantic Christian next Saturday. Nikola Mirkovic had 12 points and nine rebounds.
MORE BOYS’ SCORES
Region 4-7A: Columbus 75, Doral 41; Palmetto 77, Coral Gables 38; Coral Glades 77, West Broward 53; 4-6A: St. Thomas Aquinas 72, Mater Academy 50; Boyd Anderson 99, Coral Springs 83; South Plantation 58, Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer 55; Miramar 69, Fort Lauderdale 55; 4-5A: Delray Atlantic 72, Norland 66; Pembroke Pines Charter 69, Jensen Beach 33; Plantation 73, Archbishop McCarthy 71; 4-4A: Mater Lakes 92, Naples Lely 57; Stranahan 73, Key West 36; Northwestern 70, Naples Aubrey Rogers 36; 3-3A: Calvary Christian 78, Fort Myers Bishop Verot 22; North Broward Prep 70, Cape Coral Oasis 25; 4-3A: Pine Crest 75, Somerset Academy 52; NSU University School 96, Monsignor Pace 65; SLAM 66, Ransom Everglades 31; 4-2A: Riviera Prep 81, Archbishop Carroll 47; Divine Savior 85, Florida Christian 53; Westminster Academy 60, True North 59; 4-1A: Sagemont 92, Hebrew Academy 41; Boca Raton Grandview Prep 70, Schoolhouse Prep 69; Atlantic Christian 77, Highlands Christian 73.
GIRLS’ RESULTS
Region 4-6A - Nova 61, Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer 22: Jaelynn Housey had 22 points, six rebounds and five steals to lead the Titans (22-4), who will next host Stuart Martin County on Friday in the regional semifinals. Ke’Mora Evans had 15 points and seven assists
Region 4-6A - Mater Academy 58, Coral Springs 32: Via Hazelton had 15 points, four assists and three steals to lead the Lions (18-8), who will travel to face St. Thomas Aquinas on Friday. Halle Jordan, Emily Avila and Yakeisha Shillingford each had 11 points. Hannah Osei also had eight points and 11 rebounds. Coral Springs finished 9-5.
Region 4-5A - McArthur 50, Jensen Beach 44: Nylah Lewis led the Mustangs (15-9) with 15 points, five rebounds and five assists. Christie Chicoye had 10 points and 10 rebounds. McArthur will travel to face Blanche Ely on Friday.
Region 4-5A - Dillard 67, Northeast 48: Gabrielle King had 18 points, four rebounds and four assists Jaynae Gilbert had 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, and Amaya Montgomery had 15 points and seven assists for the Panthers (19-6), who will travel to play Sebastian River on Friday. Northeast finished 12-12.
Region 4-4A - Northwestern 63, St. Brendan 28: Myah Newton had 18 points and nine rebounds to lead the Bulls (20-7), who will travel to play Mater Lakes on Friday. Tayana Dixon had 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Damaria Gaytan had 14 points. Arianna Jean Baptiste had 12 points. St. Brendan finished 16-10.
Region 4-3A - Keys Gate 62, Cardinal Gibbons 28: Essence Deleon had 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Knights (15-10), who will next host La Salle on Friday. Naya Hardisson had 10 rebounds and seven points and Emilia Marquez had 18 points. Gibbons finished 15-8.
Region 4-3A - La Salle 58, Ransom Everglades 40: Isabella Aversa had 12 points, nine assists and eight rebounds to lead the Royal Lions (16-8). Ainoa Haliwa added 14 points and Daniela Cardoso had 10 points. Ransom finished 15-10.
Region 4-2A - Palmer Trinity 71, Posnack 30: Aaliyah Wright had 18 points, 12 rebounds and five assists to lead the Falcons (19-7), who will next host Westminster Christian on Friday. Missy Nieves had 17 points and Emma Esparza had 15 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Kiwi Dawson had 15 points. Posnack finished 9-10.
Region 4-1A - Sheridan Hills Christian 37, Colonial Christian 23: Shariah Deus had 12 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Sharks (14-3), who will next travel to Boca to face Grandview Prep on Friday. Elizabeth Spee also had 10 points and 12 rebounds. Colonial finished 10-6.
Region 4-1A - Hebrew Academy 61, West Palm Beach Atlantic Christian 37: Eliana Wolfson had 16 points to lead the Warriors (13-6), who will travel to face Schoolhouse Prep on Friday. Shana Strohli had 15 points.
MORE GIRLS’ SCORES
Region 4-7A: Doral Academy 66, Lantana Santaluces 11; Lake Worth Park Vista 52, Stoneman Douglas 43; Western 61, Boca Raton 18; South Dade 48, Cypress Bay 32; 4-6A: St. Thomas Aquinas 69, Homestead 13; Stuart Martin County 69, South Broward 14; 4-5A: Blanche Ely 71, Archbishop McCarthy 17; Sebastian River 70, North Miami 31; 4-4A: American Heritage 63, Boynton Beach 12; Mater Lakes 67, Estero 45; 3-3A: North Broward Prep 52, Delray American Heritage 49; 4-3A: Carrollton 75, Monsignor Pace 55; NSU University School 67, Killian 60; 4-2A: Miami Country Day 91, Divine Savior 17; True North 56, Westminster Academy 36; Westminster Christian 82, Florida Christian 10; 4-1A: Schoolhouse Prep 57, Lake Worth Christian 16.
This story was originally published February 15, 2026 at 11:10 AM.
