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# Derryfield girls basketball survives with OT win over Merrimack Valley in D2 quarters (video)
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/derryfield-girls-basketball-survives-with-ot-win-over-merrimack-valley-in-d2-quarters-video/
- Published: 2025-03-10T00:45:30.000Z
- Updated: 2025-03-10T00:45:30.000Z
- Description: MANCHESTER - The Derryfield School girls basketball team has felt all season that its depth was going to be a factor. It was put to the test Saturday in the Division II quarterfinals against Merrimack Valley. Four players fouled out for the No. 3 Cougars, three before the end of regulation, but Der
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division II, Derryfield, girls basketball, Merrimack Valley, playoffs, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

MANCHESTER - The Derryfield School girls basketball team has felt all season that its depth was going to be a factor.

It was put to the test Saturday in the Division II quarterfinals against Merrimack Valley.

Four players fouled out for the No. 3 Cougars, three before the end of regulation, but Derryfield got contributions from whoever was on the court in overtime to come away with a 50-45 win over the No. 6 Pride.

The win puts the Cougars in the D2 semifinals for the first time since moving up, where they will face No. 3 Milford at 5:30 p.m. at Pinkerton Academy in Derry.

"We talk about our depth is our biggest factor and it’s what makes us the team we are," Derryfield senior Tia Ferdinando said. "I think that’s great, that everybody can contribute in so many different ways."

Ferdinando contributed with a team-high 13 points, including three 3-pointers, while Anna Fazelat added 11 points and Chloe Bremberg added eight points. The Cougars (17-3) overcame foul trouble throughout the game and a rough performance at the free throw line, which saw them shoot just 12 of 25.

Derryfield also battled through two lengthy scoreless stretches in the first half to get the win over a Merrimack Valley (14-6) team that handed them an 18-point setback just 22 days ago.

"Derryfield picked us up," Cougars coach Courtney Cheethem said of how her team pulled out the win. "That’s how we roll. That’s what we’ve been trying to rely on all year. All our kids work hard. We try to play to our strengths and it just happened to work out in the end."

The Pride got 13 points from Jade Lucas while Kayla Smith was 10 of 14 from the free throw line to finish with 12 points. Merrimack Valley was 22 of 27 at the line and also had two players foul out in overtime, as a total of 49 fouls were called between the two teams.

The game featured 12 lead changes and five ties, as neither team led by more than five points.

Derryfield led 7-3 midway through the first quarter, but didn't score over the final 3:44 and Merrimack Valley took advantage. The Pride led 11-7 going into the second but back-to-back 3s by Ferdinando gave the Cougars a 13-11 lead with just under six minutes to go until halftime.

But those would be the final points Derryfield scored in the half, as the Cougars went scoreless for almost seven minutes and Merrimack Valley went back in front, 17-13.

Derryfield opened the second half with a 12-4 run to take a 25-21 lead but Merrimack Valley answered back with five straight points to retake the lead. The Pride led 32-28 going into the fourth and were up five early in the quarter.

And then the Cougars started to lose players, as Bremberg and Katie McCormick fouled out less than two minutes apart, with the later going with 4:49 remaining in regulation. An offensive foul on Emma Sloper with 2:31 to go ended her night and left Derryfield down three players.

Despite that, a basket by Fazelat with 1:59 to go gave the Cougars a 39-38 lead. After the teams traded a handful of turnovers, Lucas was fouled with 46.7 seconds left with a chance to five the Pride the lead.

Her first free throw was off but the second was good to tie the game at 39 and neither team would score again to send it to overtime.

"I thought our kids just played smart, mentally tough, and with a ton of heart," Cheetham said. "We just tell them to be confident. That was the biggest thing we kept saying. Who wants to win this game? It’s going to come down to a lot of heart. We had three starters fouled out for a good portion of the fourth quarter and the overtime."

The Cougars won the tip to open overtime and Ella LaFlamme scored on a putback to give Derryfield the lead. At the other end, the junior came up with a block that eventually led to a jump ball.

Then, with the game tied at 42, Fazelat went to the basket again for a three-point play and a 45-42 lead with 1:17 remaining. The freshman and Ferdinando then made just enough free throws down the stretch to help Derryfield hang on for the win.