Floyd boys basketball edges Brentwood to finish regular season unbeaten

Brentwood was setting up for one last shot in a tie game when Jermaine King Jr. reached in, swiped the basketball and immediately got fouled with 3.4 seconds left. He stepped up to the line with the fate of the day and possibly an undefeated regular season for Floyd resting in his hands.

“I live for this moment,” King said.

The junior point guard made the first for the lead, then missed the second. Didn’t matter.

The Colonials emerged from a 15-point first-quarter hole on their home floor Monday and edged Suffolk I rival Brentwood, 55-54.

Jawuan Smith scored 19 points and Jake Yourison added 18 for Floyd. But that free throw turned out to be the shot that made history.

Colonials coach Will Slinkosky said this was the first time the program went undefeated in the regular season. This team ended up a perfect 20-0.

“It means a lot to me,” Slinkosky said, “because if you’re a community member and you’ve been in Floyd, there’s been a lot of great basketball here … a rich history of Bob Hodgson being one of the top Long Island coaches here. So to be mentioned anywhere alongside him is absolutely amazing.”

Floyd, which won the league title at 16-0, will enter the Suffolk AAA tournament in pursuit of its first county title since 2012.

“I think we’re going to have a very good chance because [of] our defense,” Slinkosky said.

Brentwood, a state final four team in AA last season, will enter at 16-4. It finished second at 13-3 in league play, including two losses to Floyd by a total of four points.

“Encouraging for the playoffs,” coach Anthony Jimenez said with his 20-game assessment.

Marquese Dennis, who scored 16 points, flew in for a dunk to give Brentwood a 50-48 lead. Devin Clarke, who added 13, increased it to a four-point margin. But King drove for two and Smith hit a jumper to tie it.

Devon Snell countered with a jumper with a little under a minute left. Brentwood led again. But Smith capped his 9-for-10 work at the line, sinking two free throws with 25.1 seconds remaining.

And King ruled from there, starting with the steal following a Brentwood timeout at 11.1.

“I can point to 20 to 30 plays that I wish would’ve went a little differently,” Jimenez said. “So it’s really not about one play.”

Brentwood had led by 16-1. It was 20-5 after the first quarter.

Then Yourison scored nine in an 18-3 burst — 23-23.

After Brentwood built a 48-40 advantage after three, the Colonials scored the first eight of the fourth, leading to the airtight finish.

“Me and my teammates, coaching staff, great guys,” King said. “We’re all together. It’s a great team.”