The South Georgia Technical College Lady Jets captured the first-place position in the National Junior College Athletic Association’s (NJCAA) Division I women’s basketball poll for the fifth consecutive week and received all 10 first place votes based on their 25 – 1 record.
The Lady Jets recorded back to back Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA) victories last week to extend their win streak to 25 straight games. This allowed the Lady Jets to remain in first place ahead of Eastern Florida State which is 24 – 1 this season. Blinn (22-1) is currently in third place in the nation followed by Southern Idaho (24-2) and Trinity Valley (22-2).
Gulf Coast (22-2), Northwest Florida State (20-3), Collin (22-1), McLennan (21 – 2) and Jones (18-3) rounded out the top 10 spots. Dodge City, Walbash Valley, Shelton State, Eastern Arizona, and Moberly Area are in the 11th to 15th spots. For the first time this season, East Georgia State (17 – 4) joined the Lady Jets in the top 25 rankings. They moved into the 24th place position.
South Georgia Tech’s only loss this season was against Gulf Coast, 76 – 61 in Florida in the opening game of the season. Gulf Coast had been the top-ranked team prior to two losses this season and now they are in 6th place.
In addition to the 1st place ranking in the national poll, the SGTC Lady Jets also had four players recognized for their individual efforts on the court. The four Lady Jets featured in the national rankings include: sophomore center Fanta Gassama, sophomore Loes Rozing, sophomore Alexia Dizeko, and sophomore Luana Leite.
Gassama, 6’ 1” center from Mataro, Spain, is currently listed as 3rd in the country in rebounds per game with a 13.4 average over 23 games and ranked third in defensive rebounds averaging 9.2 per game. She is also listed in 4th place in total rebounds with 309. She dropped to 18th overall in offensive rebounds averaging 4.2.
Lady Jets sophomore guard Alexia Dizeko, 5’ 11” from Sion, Switzerland, is 37th in the nation in total points scored with 383. She was also listed as 41st in field goal percentage shooting making 55.0 percent of her attempts from the floor.
Sophomore guard Luana Leite, 5’ 7” from Sao Paolo, Brazil, was ranked in three-point percentage shooting. Leite is making 48.5% of her attempts and is 5th in the nation. Sophomore point guard Loes Rozing, 5’ 10” from Heiloo, Netherlands is the other Lady Jet ranked and she is currently 27th in assists per game averaging 4.8.
The Lady Jets will host Central Georgia Technical College tonight at 5:30 in a rescheduled game and then match-up with Middle Georgia Prep on Thursday, February 16th at home at 5:30. They will host Albany Tech in a double-header on Saturday, February 18th with the Lady Jets kicking off the action at 1 p.m. and the Jets following at 3 p.m. The Lady Jets last regular season game will be Saturday, February 25th on Alumni/Sophomore Day with a 1 p.m. game against East Georgia State followed by the 3 p.m. game with the Jets and Georgia Highlands.
SGTC will be hosting a tailgate with free hotdogs and hamburgers while supplies last on Alumni/Sophomore Day courtesy of the Sumter County Chamber of Commerce. Free t-shirts will also be available while supplies last on that day.