The William Floyd Colonials boys’ varsity basketball team lost an overtime heartbreaker on Sunday, March 15 to Corning-Painted Post in the NYSPHSAA quarterfinals at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton, NY,  by a score of 72-64. They truly gave it their all and left it out on the court. It was an amazing season and the team built memories that will last a lifetime. Congratulations to the coaches, student-athletes and their families on an amazing season and their first-ever appearance in the state championships!

Please click here for a full recap from Newsday (subscription required).

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March 10, 2026

Colonials Fall in Suffolk Championship, Earn At-Large Bid to State Tournament

The boys’ varsity basketball team will also be playing against Corning-Painted Post High School in the quarterfinal round of the state championship tournament this Sunday, March 15, at 3:15 pm in the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton. Information regarding tickets and a potential livestream from the NFHS Network will be posted when it becomes available.

After a heartbreaking, back-and-forth county championship game in which a potential game-tying three to send the game into overtime from senior Sharod Sutton fell just short, the Colonials are extra motivated to make a run at the state title. Head coach Will Slinkosky emphasized the possibility of winning a state title after Saturday’s game in addition to highlighting the grit the Colonials showed after a tough first quarter, saying, “It takes a tough group of kids to take that start and respond the way they did; they just don’t have that quit mentality.” Senior starters Jesse Durham, Sharod Sutton, Ja’Quan Thomas and JJ Smith all finished as double-digit scorers in the county championship game, with Jesse scoring a season-high 18 points to help keep things close.

Congratulations to all of the student-athletes and coaches on this fantastic opportunity and best of luck in the tournament!

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February 27, 2026

Colonials Defeat Walt Whitman in Semifinals, Advance to Finals

The No. 1 William Floyd Colonials boys’ varsity basketball team, led by head coach Will Slinkosky, has advanced to the Class AAA Suffolk County Championship game with a 73-66 victory over Walt Whitman in the semifinal round of the Section XI Class AAA playoffs on Friday evening, February 27! The first half was a tightly-contested affair, with Floyd and Whitman playing to a 26-26 tie going into halftime. In the third quarter, the Colonials took control over the game by going on a 19-2 run and outscoring their opposition 27-11 overall. Up 16 points to start the fourth, Floyd faced one last push from Whitman who managed to cut their lead down to single digits with less than a minute remaining. Despite the late push by Whitman, the Colonials continued to play tough and held on for the 73-66 win!

JJ Smith had a monster game, leading the Colonials with a 25-point, 11-rebound, double-double that came along with three successful three-point baskets. Sharod Sutton also had a big game, posting a double-double of his own with 23 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in the win. Additionally, Jesse Durham finished with 11 points and Ja’Quan Thomas finished with 10 points, respectively.

The Colonials will now play in their third consecutive Suffolk County Championship game, continuing what has been one of the most successful stretches of playoff competition in program history. They’ll be playing against No. 3 Bay Shore, one of their most bitter rivals, in the championship game. Floyd and Bay Shore split their season series, with each team picking up a win on their home court. Floyd has faced Bay Shore in each of the previous two playoff tournaments, losing an overtime thriller to them in the 2024 Suffolk County Championship game and then defeating them in the semifinal round of the Class AAA playoffs last season.

The Suffolk County Championship game will take place on Saturday, March 7 at 5 pm at Stony Brook University. Tickets cost $9.40 each (fees included) and can be purchased online in advance here. Children 12 and under are free. There will be QR codes available at the gate for purchase.

The William Floyd Colonial roster includes: seniors JJ Smith, Sharod Sutton, Ja’Quan Thomas, Josiah Wade, Jesse Durham, Evan Commodore and Naz Williams; sophomores Kyren Duff, Daniil Ufimskiy, Gavin Winters and Curtis Edwards; freshman include Devonte Medlock, Collin Smith and Robbie Thomas. Coaches: Will Slinkosky (head coach), and assistant coaches Thomas Stines and Harrison Bak.

Congratulations to all of the Colonial student-athletes and coaches on the win and best of luck in the championship game!

Photo Album: William Floyd vs. Walt Whitman - Semifinal Playoff - February 27, 2026

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Playoff Update
February 19, 2026

The William Floyd boys’ varsity basketball team, led by head coach Will Slinkosky, won their quarterfinal playoff matchup against Sachem East by a 58-46 final score!

Senior Sharod Sutton got the home crowd buzzing in an instant as he put down a one-handed dunk off the opening tip-off to give the Colonials an early lead. From there, it was a tightly-contested first half between the two League I rivals. Leading by four with seconds to go, senior JJ Smith drilled a buzzer-beating three pointer to send the Colonials into halftime with a 31-24 lead.

Sachem East continued to keep things close in the second half, but the Colonials battled and never once surrendered their lead. Another Sharod Sutton dunk in the fourth quarter got the crowd on their feet yet again as Floyd pulled away with the 58-46 win!

Seniors Sharod Sutton and JJ Smith led the way in scoring, each hitting multiple threes as Sharod scored a game-high 26 points and JJ scored an additional 12 points.

The Colonials now advance to the semifinal round of the Section XI Class AAA tournament, where they will host the winner of tonight’s matchup between No. 4 Walt Whitman and No. 5 Copiague next Thursday, February 26. More details regarding the semifinal matchup and ticketing information are soon to come.

Congratulations to all of the Colonials student-athletes and coaches on the win!

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The boys’ varsity team, led by head coach Will Slinkosky, finished the season with an 18-2 overall record and won the League I championship with a 15-1 League I record! The Colonials broke a pair of program records by winning their fourth consecutive League I championship and by extending a multiple-season League I win streak to 53 games. The Colonials’ high level of play secured them the No. 1 overall seed in the Class AAA field and ensured that the pathway to a potential third consecutive appearance in the Suffolk County Championship game runs through Mastic Beach. They will host No. 8 Sachem East on Thursday, February 19 at 12 pm (information below).

The Colonials were led by the senior duo of Sharod Sutton and JJ Smith, two returning starters from last year’s team who were also Newsday top 100 selections for the 2025-26 season. Sharod had a team-high average of 15 points per game while also making a substantial impact as a passer and rebounder. JJ was second on the team with an average of 13 points per game and was one of the team’s biggest three-point threats. Coach Slinkosky also highlighted both players as strong defenders for the team. Seniors Ja’Quan Thomas and Jesse Durham made a big impact this season as well. Ja’Quan averaged 10 points per game and was a key rebounder for the Colonials while Jesse was a productive shooter who averaged 8 points per game.  

The Colonials’ roster also includes: seniors Evan Commodore, Josiah Wade and Naz Williams; sophomores Kyren Duff, Curtis Edwards, Daniil Ufimskiy and Gavin Winters; and freshmen Da'Vonte Medlock, Collin Smith and Robbie Thomas. The team’s assistant coaches are Thomas Stines and Harrison Bak.

The boys’ team earned the No. 1 overall seed and will host No. 8 Sachem East this Thursday February 19 at 12 pm in the William Floyd High School west gym. The Colonials defeated Sachem East by 14 points in both their previous meetings this season, one on the road and one at home.

Please note that Section XI charges an admission fee for the playoffs - $9.40 per ticket ($8 plus $1.40 admission fee). Please follow this link or scan the QR code to purchase. QR codes will also be available at the gate to scan for ticket purchase. Section XI will not be accepting cash or check. Children 12 and under are free.

Good luck to the Colonials in the playoffs!