The Suffolk boys' basketball season is set to get underway this upcoming week, and once again the county is divided into seven different divisions. Suffolk held its first annual Media Day this past week to get to know the teams, and the room was filled with excitement and optimism.
Last season was a historic year for Class A, as Mount Sinai not only won the Class A Suffolk County Championship but also went on to claim the Long Island Championship. That was Suffolk’s only L.I. crown last season. Amityville took home the Class AA title, Half Hollow Hills East won the Class AAA championship, Mattituck earned the Class B title, and Bridgehampton was the best in Class D.
This year there is a lot of turnover on the majority of Suffolk's teams and some intriguing storylines to follow. Here are a few teams to keep an eye on.
William Floyd finished 19-4 and reached the Suffolk County Championship two seasons in a row. Their star player broke his leg but miraculously returned, and he is back again this season. They have won the league three years in a row and made the playoffs four years in a row, for the first time in William Floyd history. Five seniors on the team were called “glue guys” by coach Will Slinkosky.
Bay Shore’s head coach Gary Williams is now in his third season back with Bay Shore and first as head coach, though he has previous head coaching experience. He follows their former 500-win coach. In his two years with Bay Shore, they have lost only three games. Two All-League, All-County players return.
Rich Velonte is the assistant coach for Riverhead, with Pat Fabian as head coach. Last year they took over the program, which was coming off two 2-17 seasons. Last season they made the playoffs and went 12-8, winning a playoff game against Commack. They return five players from that group.
Patchogue-Medford is led by Tim Trava, a graduate of the Class of 2000 and one of Patchogue-Medford’s greatest athletes. He has already begun establishing himself as one of the school’s finest coaches. For the first time in three years, he returns familiar faces after heavy roster turnover. Two years removed from being one of the county’s best teams, they replaced the entire roster. Young again after a 2-18 season, they expect improvement as the players now know the system.
Sachem East went 10-10 last year in League 2 and made the playoffs, losing in the first round to Longwood. They return seven players, including five who started at points during the season and two All-League players. The move up to League 1 is significant, but they expect to be very competitive. They have never won their league or hosted a home playoff game, which is their goal.
Walt Whitman is coming off a 13-9 record and a second-round playoff exit. They are replacing four starters. Captains Jack Bell and Nick DeLeo lead a team built around last season’s bench players.
Central Islip is led by Paul Venturi, who coached the girls’ program for 22 years and is now the boys’ head coach. After a rough 1-19 season caused by inexperience, Max Douglas and Ishine Lopez return as leaders who trained all offseason.
Longwood has a new head coach who was previously an assistant. Senior Michael McKenzie will provide leadership.
League 5: This is a tough league featuring Kings Park, Amityville, Mount Sinai, Sayville, Rocky Point, Wyandanch, Miller Place, and Hampton Bays.
The story of the Suffolk season may be that Amityville coach Jack Agostino is retiring after this year. The 63-year-old legendary coach has won four state titles and nine L.I. championships and was the fourth coach in Long Island history to reach 500 wins. He has coached at Amityville for 33 years and since 1987 overall. He returns two of the best players in Suffolk and four of five starters. He noted that last season was the first time he was a No. 5 seed, yet they ran the table to win the Suffolk County Championship. With his resume, the emotion of the year, and undeniable talent, there are plenty of reasons to believe he can finish on top again.
Mount Sinai is led by head coach Ryan McNeely. They have made the playoffs in nine of the last ten years and the county finals in two of the last three. Last year they beat Southampton in the Suffolk County Championship and Floral Park in the Long Island Championship. They then won a double-overtime thriller in the state semifinals before falling to Glens Falls in the championship, ending their 52-game winning streak. Returning starters include Brian Vales, an All-County and All-State selection. They also return several players ready to step into larger roles. Coach McNeely described his team as high-IQ and noted their tough non-league schedule.
Kings Park has had eight straight playoff berths, winning at least one playoff game in seven of those years—13 Suffolk playoff wins in eight seasons. They have four recent league titles and reached five straight championship games, including back-to-back county titles in 2022 and 2023. They return point guard Charlie Pace and leading scorer Kyle Evanson, who is back to full health after an ankle injury.
Miller Place and coach Agostino had a strong 13-9 season, earning their first playoff win in five years. They lost to Southampton in the county semifinals but return two three-year varsity starters who combined for nearly 700 points. They rely on scoring and feature captains who made over 100 three-pointers. Several dual-sport athletes join the roster. Coach Agostino’s father coaches Amityville, and the two will face each other this season.
Rocky Point is coming off one of its best seasons, which included the first playoff win in school history. They lost to Wyandanch in the second round. They graduated ten seniors, including the entire starting five, and return only four players. Despite being undersized, they have strong talent.
Sayville has a new head coach, O’Halloran, who previously led the JV team. Last year they went 11-10 and lost by one point in the playoffs. They are led by two three-year varsity players.
Hampton Bays coach Brown will look to replace much of the roster. The team is very young with seven juniors, two sophomores, and only a few seniors.
League 6 features four Class A teams and four Class B teams in a very unique league setup.
Bayport-Blue Point has made the playoffs in all 11 seasons under coach Charlie Peck. They are 52-17 over the past three seasons. However, they have finished second in the league each year behind Southampton and lost to the eventual county champions each postseason. This year they return only one starter, Colin Most, an All-League player who averaged 8 points and 12 rebounds. They also add a 6’7" sophomore and continue to feature elite shooters, having led the county in threes for the last three seasons.
Babylon and coach Bill Singleton enters his eighth season. Last year the team was devastated by injuries and never had the full roster available. Before that stretch, the team reached the county finals three years in a row. They return four starters and rely on high-energy, defensive basketball.
Center Moriches has a first-year head coach with experience coaching the girls’ program. He aims to reestablish the school’s strong culture. Last season they lost to Kings Park in the playoffs. Seniors Brandon Smith and Tim Jackson will lead, and several ninth-graders may contribute early.
Shoreham-Wading River returns all five starters under coach Kevin Culhane. They are led by star Max Boerum, a four-year player, and captain Carter Baumeister. They had a strong summer and fall league and aim to make the playoffs.
Port Jefferson, coached by Pete Meehan in his 40th year, has a proud history with 12 championship banners, the first in 1937. They have not won since 2013. With only three seniors who combined for four total points, they expect younger players like Ben Rose—who started as a freshman—to step up.
John Glenn has made the playoffs in four of the last five years and brings a high-energy team once again.
League 7
Bridgehampton, led by Carl Johnson in his 29th year, went 22-2 and reached the State Finals. They return four of five starters. Johnson noted that expectations are extremely high. Alex Davis, a six-year player, could become the program’s all-time leading scorer. Junior forward Xavier Johnson is viewed as the top defender. Their stated goal: “go upstate and win the title.”
Southold missed the playoffs by one game last season but returns most of the team, including their best scorer and defender. They plan to play fast and should be exciting to watch.
Ross School has a new coach and returns seven seniors. They won only two games last year, but improved leadership may help them rebound.