It was an eventful Thanksgiving week for the Florida State Women’s Basketball Team. They went to the Virgin Islands with one goal, which was to win the Paradise Jam Championship. It’s a sacrifice being away from your family during the holidays. But the Noles had a purpose to leave the country and take care of business.
Playing three days in a row can take a toll on your body. Luckily, it’s not an unfamiliar situation for some players on Florida State. The experience dates back to AAU Tournaments where teams had to play 3-4 days in a row while many had two games in one day. The players on Florida State understood how to mentally prepare for the Paradise Jam and what to expect during the 3 days.
Heading to the Virgin Islands, the Noles wanted to continue the tradition. The team won the Paradise Jam in 2016 and was led by the dominance of Shakayla Thomas and Latecia Romero. Eight years later, the current Noles had an opportunity to carry on the legacy and come home with another trophy.
On Thursday, the Noles were ready for the battles that were ahead. However, there was a good and bad thing as the team headed into the Tournament. The good thing was that redshirt junior Mariana Valenzuela was making her season debut after missing last season due to a knee injury. The bad news was that Malea Williams would be out of the lineup due to injury, as fans saw her on the sidelines with a boot on her foot.
Valenzuela’s impact has been missed on this team. Sure, the Noles have figured out how to succeed in her absence. However, her presence on the floor is still needed. Valenzuela is a versatile big who can do a multitude of things on the floor. She’s a terrific floor spacer who can make threes at a high level while also making an impact defensively. Valenzuela had little mobility in the three tournament games, which was expected as she’s returning from injury. Luckily, she didn’t use that as an excuse as she still made an impact.
As the Noles got through the first win against Texas Tech, one of the bright stars was O’Mariah Gordon. While Florida State got off to a strong start, Texas Tech responded by outscoring the Seminoles 23-21. I’ve always spoken on how the team can rely on Gordon. When Florida State is in a funk, she’s the one who can keep the team afloat with her shooting. Gordon’s scoring in the second quarter was crucial for Florida State keeping the lead. She finished with 20 points in the contest and helped Florida State clinch a 70-62 win.
In the last 2 games, the unsung hero was Sydney Bowles. Florida State needed scoring from all areas of the floor. Bowles struggled with foul trouble against Texas Tech and wasn’t able to contribute offensively. Luckily, things changed as the Noles were looking to win a championship.
Once Bowles checked in, she was instant offense. She shot the ball with confidence as teams didn’t have an answer for her high-arching shot. In the last two games of the Paradise Jam, Bowles averaged 16.5 points and shot 60 percent from the floor. Her shooting was also another key factor for Florida State opening big leads.
Makayla Timpson was another player who struggled to find a rhythm against Texas Tech. The Florida State big only recorded nine points and seven rebounds while also turning the ball over five times. In the next game, Timpson had to go into beast mode with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Her size and versatility on both ends were too much for Missouri State to contain. Timpson continued to be a matchup nightmare and imposed her will inside offensively.
Timpson later followed up her redemption performance with 20 points on 69 percent shooting against Gonzaga. While she didn’t play well in the first game, there was no slowing down the big dog the entire tournament. Timpson proved why her name has been mentioned as the one of the best centers in the country. Once she establishes position, there’s no stopping her from being impactful.
Last but not least, the alpha of the team (Ta’Niya Latson) shined the brightest. These are tournaments where teams need their best players to perform. With the tournament being three days in a row, Latson knew what was at stake. She set the tone with 30 points and 11 rebounds against Texas Tech. Those are numbers you can add to your stat line when you live in the paint. Latson continued to dominate the inside and continued to seek high-percentage shots.
Latson followed up her performance against Texas Tech with 21 points against Missouri State. It's safe to say that she was pacing herself for a grand finale against Gonzaga. Latson did just enough to lead the Noles to a win on day 2. Luckily, she left the Virgin Islands with her first career triple-double. After a performance like that, it was an easy pick to name the MVP of the Paradise Jam.
Latson averaged 24.3 points along with 9.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists. Her spectacular week led to a lot of praise from fans and media outlets across college basketball. Latson won multiple Player of the Week honors and shined as arguably the best player in college basketball.
The Paradise Jam was a great time for Florida State to continue to build on their successful season. They averaged 87.3 points during the three games and continued to prove why they’re the best offensive team in the country. The tournament is over but the buck doesn’t stop from there. The Noles have another tough matchup Wednesday night in a rematch against the Tennessee Volunteers in the ACC/SEC challenge.