EYE ON ATHLETICS
Women ’ s Basketball Team Has SEASON TO REMEMBER
THE EASTERN FLORIDA State College women ’ s basketball team had a season for the record books .
The Titans saw their season end Saturday evening in the Elite Eight of the NJCAA Division I National Championship Tournament , falling to Jones College in overtime , 64-62 .
It was the first time in program history a team had reached the national tournament . The Titans won their first two games in the tournament to finish the season with a school-best 28-5 record . The team also had a 14-game win streak .
“ This team , we have said from the start , was different from other teams I have coached because they are so committed , so dedicated , and the love they have for each other is very unique ,” Eastern Florida State College women ’ s basketball coach MJ Baker said . “ They are able to put the team ahead of themselves . This team has always been about the mission from Day 1 , which was to win our conference and go to the national tournament .”
They accomplished both of those goals , becoming the best team in program history . The team was ranked nationally for most of the season , reaching as high as 16th , a program best . The Titans went unbeaten in the Central Conference for the first time in program history , going 12-0 , winning those conference games by an average of 26 points .
Under Baker , the Titans have won 20-plus games three times in her five seasons , reaching over 100 wins as the head coach of the Titans .
“ I like to say there is strength in numbers . To be able to have players who are good players individually but as a group is a great team . We have faced teams with more talent , individually , but at the end of the day we can match up with anyone in this country because we have a great team that will compete and do the little things to win ,” Baker said .
For the second time in three seasons the team made over 200 three-pointers on the season led by the trio of Kaitlyn Sanders , Shadaria Smith and Tatiana Beaumont who combined for 179 three-pointers this season .
Sanders , Smith and Rapuluchi Ngorka were named to the all-state team marking the first time that three Titans had been named to the all-state team .
Ngorka had a huge freshman season for the Titans averaging 13.6 points and 13.2 rebounds
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