Colonia Boys Basketball Wins Fifth Straight Sectional Title

Colonia defeats Chatham 57-46 to claim the NJSIAA North 2, Group 3 championship

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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The Colonia boys basketball team overcame a 2-6 start to the season and injuries to key players to win its fifth consecutive NJSIAA North 2, Group 3 sectional championship, defeating Chatham 57-46. Sophomore guard Jayce Rodriguez led Colonia with 25 points, while senior forward Nfa Clyne scored 9 of his 9 points in the fourth quarter to help seal the victory on his birthday.

Why it matters

Colonia has established a basketball dynasty in its section, winning five straight titles despite losing several key players from last year’s team. The Patriots’ ability to overcome adversity and injuries to capture another championship highlights the program’s sustained excellence and the development of its younger players.

The details

Colonia started the season 2-6 and was ranked 16th in the section in power points at one point, but the Patriots surged to the No. 1 seed. With Colonia leading 43-38 early in the fourth quarter, Clyne scored 9 straight points to spark a 9-0 run that put the game away. Clyne also played strong defense and controlled the boards. Jayce Rodriguez scored a team-high 25 points for Colonia, which shot 58% from the field.

  • Colonia defeated Chatham 57-46 on Saturday, March 7, 2026.
  • Colonia won its fifth consecutive NJSIAA North 2, Group 3 sectional championship.

The players

Nfa Clyne

A senior forward for Colonia who scored 9 points in the fourth quarter to help seal the victory. Clyne was recovering from a knee injury suffered on black ice and played strong defense and rebounding.

Jayce Rodriguez

A sophomore guard for Colonia who led the team with 25 points. Rodriguez showcased his maturity and talent as one of the better players in the state.

Jose Rodriguez

The head coach of the Colonia boys basketball team, who is also Jayce Rodriguez’s father.

Michael MacAniff

The leading scorer for Chatham, who was held to 14 points by Colonia’s defense.

Marco Mannino

A player for Chatham who scored 10 points in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“Nfa was absolutely enormous. He wasn’t 100 percent last week, but we knew how valuable he was, so we had to play that really carefully to make sure that if we survived those first two state games that we would get him back a little bit healthier, and we managed to do that.”

— Jose Rodriguez, Head Coach, Colonia Boys Basketball (TAPinto.net)

“Just watching the level of maturity and poise that Jayce played at today, he showed that he is well beyond his years. For a sophomore I thought he showcased that he’s one of the better talents in the state.”

— Jose Rodriguez, Head Coach, Colonia Boys Basketball (TAPinto.net)

What’s next

Colonia will face Montville in the Group 2 state semifinals at 5 p.m. on Wednesday at the Dunn Center in Elizabeth. The winner of that game will advance to the state championship game at Rutgers next weekend.

The takeaway

Colonia’s ability to overcome a slow start and key injuries to capture its fifth straight sectional title demonstrates the program’s sustained excellence and the development of its younger players, who have stepped up to maintain the Patriots’ status as a basketball powerhouse in the region.