Beverly Hills, Ferndale

Country Day basketball gets past Ferndale for 16th consecutive regional title

By Mike Moore
C & G Sports Writer

» click to enlarge « Photo by Patricia O'Blenes Country Day's Asia Doss scored 14 points and helped guide her team back to the quarterfinals with a 57-39 win against Ferndale. Photo by Patricia O'Blenes Country Day's Asia Doss scored 14 points and helped guide her team back to the quarterfinals with a 57-39 win against Ferndale.

WEST BLOOMFIELD — The journey may not have been as dominant as years past, but it’s a journey the Beverly Hills Detroit Country Day girls basketball team will continue, nonetheless.

And has since 1997.

The Yellowjackets’ streak of consecutive Class B regional titles reached 16 Thursday night at West Bloomfield High with a 57-39 victory against Ferndale High.

“It’s beautiful,” coach Frank Orlando said with a smile afterward.  “It’s almost hard to believe. ... Defense was the key here. When you don’t give up much, like we haven’t, you have a great chance to win.”

“I’m not upset,” Ferndale coach Eric Lloyd said with an equally big smile. “This was the greatest team we’ve had here in a decade. (Country Day) made their shots, and we didn’t. That’s what it came down to.”

Both teams came out firing, and scoring.

Country Day led 19-11 after the first quarter and 32-21 by halftime.

But the third quarter was the difference. Country Day’s defense was suffocating, and the team depth wore Ferndale down en route to outscoring the Eagles 15-7.

The game was never close again.

Orlando was especially happy with his team given it had to come from behind in overtime in a Tuesday regional semifinal against Chandler Park Academy.

“Tuesday was so emotional,” he added. “I give our girls so much credit for the way they played here tonight.”

Asia Doss scored 14 points to lead Country Day, while Tiana Glimpse and Brittany Washington each added11, and Kristina Grace scored 10.

The Yellowjackets (15-3) advance to the Yale High quarterfinal and face Flint Powers Catholic (19-6) in a 6:30 p.m. March 12 contest.

The winner moves on to a 6 p.m. March 15 semifinal at the Breslin Center.

The Class B state final is set for 6 p.m. March 16.

Ferndale, which enjoyed one of its best seasons in program history and reached the regional final for the first time since the mid-90s, ends the year with a 21-4 record.

Amber Williams led the Eagles with 14 points, while MiCaela Ellis scored 10.

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Mike Moore at mmoore@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1038. Follow Mike on Twitter.