Reems Landreth
The Florida Southern women’s basketball team ended its season with the Sunshine State Conference Champion title.
The 2017-2018 Mocs join the books as the fifth team with 25 wins in one season, 25-5 (17-3 SSC). Their season was highlighted by a 15-game win streak capped by losses to Embry-Riddle, both at home and in Daytona Beach.
Early this month, the Florida Southern women’s basketball team lifted the Sunshine State Conference Champions trophy for the second time this season as they defeated Embry-Riddle 87 to 68 on March 4 in Jenkins Field House.
This trophy joins ten other tournament champions and 13 regular season trophies.
The Mocs did not struggle at all through the SSC tournament to get to the title match, outscoring Saint Leo and Barry by a combined 46 points.
This effort was largely due to the big three of Anja Fuchs-Robetin, Camille Giardina and Jensen Blassage.
After the SSC Tournament, the Mocs received an automatic bid into the NCAA Regional Tournament.
The team was set to compete as the number two seed.
The women entered the tournament in Jackson, Tenn. on March 9, facing off against number seven seed Valdosta State.
In the game, the Mocs took an early deficit, ending the first quarter 18 to 11. The final of the game was 63 to 60, giving Valdosta a win. The women’s basketball team received
numerous awards this season.
Recipients included Fuchs-Robetin, Giardina and Blassage, as well as Assistant Coach Tianna Kelly.
Fuchs-Robetin was named Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year, First team all-South Region, First Team allSSC, SSC all-Tournament team Third Team Academic all-American and Academic all-District.
Senior Jensen Blassage was also named to the Second Team all-SSC as well as the SSC all-tournament team and as an Academic all-District. Junior Camille Giardina was named the Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player as well as First Team all-South Region and First Team all-SSC.
Assistant Coach Tianna Kelly was named to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Thirty Under 30 list, and Head Coach Betsy Harris was named the SSC Coach of the Year.
Fuchs-Robetin, Giardina and Blassage are all recent inductees into the 1,000-point club, with Blassage eclipsing 1,000 on Nov. 18 while Giardina joined on Jan. 24 and Fuchs-Robetin on February 28. They became the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd players to surpass 1,000 career points.