Whitman Girls Basketball Claims Suffolk AAA Title, Advances to Long Island Championship

The Whitman girls basketball team returned to championship form Friday night, capturing the Suffolk Class AAA title with a commanding 57-41 victory over Floyd at Stony Brook Arena.

Junior forward Madi Richter powered the top-seeded Wildcats with 18 points, seven rebounds, an assist, two steals and a block in the championship game, according to game statistics. Richter dominated in the paint with six points scored inside and five offensive rebounds, while also connecting on two three-pointers and going perfect from the free-throw line at 6-for-6.

“It was really fun to win this time,” Richter said. “I wished to be back. That was my goal: to be back here and win it. We had strong energy and really put emphasis on coming out strong and working hard.”

The victory marks Whitman’s return to the Long Island championship game after a one-year absence. The Wildcats (21-1) fell to Brentwood 41-32 in last year’s Suffolk AAA final, making this championship particularly meaningful for the Huntington Station school.

Junior guard Jazmynn Julien provided crucial support for Whitman, contributing 12 points, nine rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks. As a team captain, Julien helped guide the Wildcats to their second Suffolk AAA championship in three years and third county title in four years, according to team records. Whitman previously won the Suffolk AA championship in 2023.

“You’re going to have those games where you’re not having the offensive game you want to, but as long as I’m getting my teammates to places they can score, I know I’m doing my job,” Julien said. “I’ve been in this position before, but to be in this spot now as a captain and as a leader, it’s just a different feeling, and I’m really proud of what we did, and of what I contributed, as well.”

Whitman controlled the game from the opening tip, taking the lead on a three-pointer by sophomore guard Hannah Creighton with 6:05 remaining in the first quarter. The assist came from junior guard Bella Fiorelli, according to game records.

The Wildcats quickly extended their advantage when Richter scored nine points during an 18-4 run that gave Whitman a 24-9 lead with six minutes left in the first half. Second-seeded Floyd (18-5) never recovered from the early deficit, as Whitman maintained a double-digit lead for the remainder of the contest.

Sophomore guard Milania Farrow led all scorers with 21 points for Floyd in the losing effort.

Despite the championship game loss, Floyd’s season continues thanks to a stroke of luck. Suffolk County Section XI received an at-large bid for the state’s Class AAA girls basketball tournament through random selection before the season began. As the section’s runner-up, Floyd secured that at-large bid and advanced to the state tournament.

Floyd will face Corning-Painted Post of Section IV at Binghamton University at 11:45 a.m. on Sunday, March 15 in a state subregional game.

“You don’t get a lot of second chances in life, so we’re very grateful to have that opportunity and we’re not going to take it for granted,” Floyd coach Rich Sinclair said. “We have a great group of girls who work exceptionally hard who I’m very proud of.”

Whitman will return to Stony Brook Arena on Wednesday at 7 p.m. to face either Baldwin or Massapequa, the Nassau Class AAA champion, in the Long Island Class AAA championship game. That contest serves as a state subregional matchup in the Wildcats’ pursuit of a state title.