The Florida State College at Jacksonville women's basketball team picked up a program record 4th win Tuesday on Beach Boulevard.
It has been a rough road for the FSCJ women's basketball program the last several years, but under Head Coach Diana Couch that is slowing changing. With last weekends win versus Tallahassee the BlueWave surpassed the wins for the 21-22 and 20-21 seasons. Then victory over NCCAA Johnson University last night, tied the season wins for 19-20 and 18-19 FSCJ women's basketball team. With 22 more games on the schedule, the BlueWave are hoping to continue to make positive changes.
The 62-31 win started off slow for the FSCJ women's basketball team as they struggled to find their rhythm against the Johnson University Suns. Trading missed opportunities in the opening minutes of play, FSCJ finally hit the first shot. The BlueWave struggling to get in the groove thankfully found their way to the boards to out rebound the Suns giving them the offensive advantage throughout the first quarter. With a 12-0 first quarter, FSCJ was far from comfortable with their performance.
The second quarter started much like the first with FSCJ executing offensive sets and falling short on their shots. This time Johnson University would fight back and give the BlueWave a run for their money getting into the paint. A short lived 6-0 run by FSCJ was stopped when the Suns scored back to back off transition on missed buckets from behind the arch. Feeling the momentum, Johnson University was working to get back into the game and outscored the BlueWave 3-5 in the final minutes of the second quarter. A 21-9 halftime score gave the BlueWave a lot to think about as they headed into the locker room.
Still energized by their second quarter late run, the Suns found their offensive game and battled the BlueWave bucket for bucket in the opening minutes keeping it a 9-5 scoring ratio. A stop and pop 3 point bucket by freshman point guard, Kahliya Gaitor, was what the BlueWave needed to begin to surge. Outscoring the Suns 14-6 as the third quarter came to an end found FSCJ widening the lead to 44-21 with the aid of M'Kayla Patterson's drives to the basket.
A rebounding fourth quarter was the key to FSCJ's transition offensive that propelled them into extending the lead. Sophomore Ameera Thomas and freshman Jaiden Ross exposed the gaps in the Suns defense to work together to pull the BlueWave into a comfortable lead. Able to turn to their bench the BlueWave began to make some substitutions and freshman Alyssa Pearson picked up a defensive charge call that ignited the BlueWave. The crew was able to maintain the 28-11 lead that was built as the fourth quarter came to an end. With a final score of 62-31, the BlueWave picked up the win at home.
Four players scored in double digits for the BlueWave, with both Ameera Thomas (16 points and 14 rebounds) and Jaiden Ross (13 points and 11 rebounds) recording double-doubles. Returner M'Kayla Patterson contributed 14 points, Kahliya Gaitor 11 points and Jacovya Major and Johanna Bell with 4 points apiece.
The BlueWave move to 4-4 on the season and will face Tallahassee Community College on the road this Friday.