NICEVILLE, Fla. (WMBB) – The Northwest Florida women’s basketball team is heading back to Niceville, the Raiders’ hometown which some are calling the new “JUCO basketball capital of the U.S.”
The Lady Raiders won their second NJCAA Championship in three years on Monday, following the lead of the NWF men’s basketball team which won last year.
Four NWF players scored near or above double-digits scoring in the championship game, and Head Coach Bart Walker said it was a glorious team effort.
“It was a team thing last night (Monday),” Walker said. “Celia made a big shot, Jaela made a big shot, Mya made a big shot. So, we talked about this team having a heart the whole week, a team heart. Yeah, everybody talks about it, but I’m talking about 13 girls that bought in, they put all their garbage behind them and just go play and be all for each other. And they were so much of that this week. And that’s why all of them were successful.”
This is the Northwest Florida women’s second national title to ass to the two the NWF men have won in the past eight years.
When asked if Niceville was the new “JUCO basketball capital of the U.S.,” Coach Walker said undeniably, yes.
“We’re putting ourselves on the map,” Walker said. “I mean, if you get in those kind of games and you win some, you might not get them all, but word gets around. And you said it, JUCO basketball, baby, it’s ‘Basketball U’, that’s what (Athletic Director Ramsey Ross) said last night.”
Coach Walker and the Lady Raiders return home late Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning.
Walker said Athletic Director Ramsey Ross will announce a date and time for a team and community celebration as soon as possible.
