NICEVILLE, Fla. (March 8, 2023) – The Florida College System Activities Association announced its All-FCSAA/All-NJCAA Region 8 women's basketball team on Wednesday evening.
Headlining the 12-member team is FCSAA Women's Basketball Player of the Year, Sakima Walker of Northwest Florida State College.
Walker, a sophomore from Columbus, Ohio, transferred to Northwest Florida State after playing her freshman season at Rutgers. The 6-foot-5 center led the Raiders to the Panhandle Conference Championship with an 11-1 league record, 23-3 overall record and No. 6 NJCAA ranking.
The FCSAA Player of the Year is voted on by members of the FCSAA Women's Basketball Committee.
Walker averaged 16.0 points, which places her seventh in Region 8, along with 8.0 rebounds, which ranks tenth. Her 59.0 percent field goal percentage is third-best in the region, and she also shot 45.5 percent from three and 75.0 percent from the free throw line. She also averaged 1.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.3 blocks en route to being named the Panhandle Conference Player of the Year.
Walker was recognized as the NJCAA Region 8 Player of the Week on February 14.
Other members of the All-FCSAA/All-NJCAA Region 8 team are (in alpha order):
Alieghya Bartholomew, Gulf Coast State
Freshman | Guard | Canada
Has appeared in 27 games...leading distributor in Region 8, averaging 4.6 assists per game...ranks second in steals (2.6 spg)...averaged 13.3 points, which ranks 15th in Region 8, and 3.7 rebounds...shot 42.5 percent from the field, 31.7 percent from three and 80.0 percent from the free throw, which ranks fourth in Region 8.
Malea Brown, Santa Fe
Sophomore | Guard | Putnam Hall, Fla.
Has appeared in 26 games...third-leading scorer in Region 8, averaging 20.2 points per game...ranks first in Region 8 in steals (3.5 spg)...also averaged 5.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists...shot 36.5 percent from the field, 29.5 percent from three and 69.5 percent from the free throw line...garnered two NJCAA Region 8 Player of the Week awards in 2022-23 and, each time, went on to be named NJCAA Division I Player of the Week...scored a school-record 44 points vs. St. Petersburg on February 18.
Ciante Downs, Gulf Coast State
Sophomore | Guard | Canada
Has appeared in 27 games...at 15.8 points per game, she ranks ninth in Region 8...also averaged 5.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.1 steals...shot 49.1 percent from the field, which ranks 11th in Region 8, 26.3 percent from three and 70.6 percent from the free throw line.
Lelani Guion, Eastern Florida State
Sophoore | Guard | Orlando, Fla.
Has appeared in 29 games...averaged 10.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists, which ranks sixth in Region 8...also averaged 0.8 steals and 0.4 blocks...shot 42.0 percent from the field, 33.7 percent from three and 79.2 percent from the free throw line.
Ta'Viyanna Habib, Indian River State
Sophoore | Guard | Tampa, Fla.
Has appeared in 29 games...averaged 13.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists...also posted averages of 0.7 steals and 0.4 blocks...shot 45.2 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from three and 76.1 percent from the free throw line.
Destiney McPhaul, Northwest Florida State
Freshman | Guard | Philadelphia, Pa.
Has appeared in 26 games...ranks second in Region 8 at 4.2 assists per game...averaged 12.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 0.3 blocks...shot 46.4 percent from the field, 32.2 percent from three and 71.3 percent from the free throw line.
L'or Eyeba Mputu, Eastern Florida State
Sophomore | Forward | Democratic Republic of Congo
The Central Conference Player of the Year...appeared in 29 games...averaged 13.3 points and 6.9 rebounds while shooting a Region 8-best 63.4 percent from the field...also averaged 0.8 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.2 blocks, which ranked seventh in Region 8...also shot 64.6 percent from the free throw line...a two-time NJCAA Region 8 Player of the Week and earned NJCAA Division I Player of the Week honors on January 17.
Rapuluchi Ngorka, Indian River State
Sophomore | Forward | Madrid, Spain
The Southern Conference Player of the Year...appeared in 29 games...one of just four players in Region 8 to average a double-double...leads Region 8 in rebounds at 14.3 per game and scored 14.3 points per game...also averaged 0.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.8 blocks...her 52.8 percent field goal percentage is eighth-best in Region 8...also shot 72.6 percent from the free throw line...a two-time All-FCSAA/All-NJCAA Region 8 selection...a two-time NJCAA Region 8 Player of the Week recipient in 2022-23...has authored 23 double-doubles this season, including a 22-point, 20-rebound effort vs. Hillsborough.
Jaylen Ponder, St. Petersburg
Sophomore | Forward | Pompano, Fla.
Appeared in 29 games...one of just four players in Region 8 to average a double-double, posting 11.0 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, the latter ranking third in Region 8...also averaged 2.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.9 blocks per game...shot 41.6 percent from the field, 32.8 percent from three and 64.2 from the free throw line...a NJCAA Region 8 Player of the Week honoree...has 17 double-doubles this season.
Macarena Retamales, Florida SouthWestern
Sophomore | Guard | Santiago, Chile
Appeared in 26 games...the No. 5 scorer in Region 8 at 16.8 points per game...also averaged 4.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.8 blocks...shot 41.2 percent from the field, 32.1 percent from three and 79.3 percent from the free throw line, which ranks sixth in Region 8...a two-time All-FCSAA/All-NJCAA Region 8 selection.
Jazmine Spencer, Hillsborough
Sophomore | Guard | Winter Haven, Fla.
Appeared in 20 games...the NJCAA's leading scorer at 26.3 points per game...shot 37.4 percent from the field, 30.1 percent from three and 72.3 percent from the free throw line...also averaged 5.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.1 steals...a two-time All-FCSAA/All-NJCAA Region 8 selection...named NJCAA Region 8 Player of the Week in the final week of the season after averaging 46.0 points over her final two games - she scored a school-record 50 points against Indian River State College and 42 vs. Florida SouthWestern State College...had four game of 40+ points this season.
The All-FCSAA/All-NJCAA Region 8 men's team will be announced on Thursday evening.