Cannon's buzzer beater gives FSCJ women's basketbal first home win versus Santa Fe since 2017

Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) opened up conference play with a buzzer-beater three-pointer by Avery Cannon to defeat Santa Fe College.

This is the first of three conference game match-ups between the BlueWave and the Saints. 

The FSCJ won the tip-off to start the game, followed by a quick turnover and a foul to give the Saints the first points of the game. The next possession, the BlueWave answered with a three-pointer from Jaiden Ross and an assist from M'Kayla Patterson. After a timeout from Head Coach Diana Couch, Ameera Thomas grabs an offensive board and draws a foul that sends her to the line. She hits two to take the lead for the BlueWave. With several lead changes, the first quarter ends in favor of the Santa Fe Saints, 15-12.

Santa Fe received the ball to start the second quarter. The Saints looked to stretch the lead, but a quick steal and put-back from Johanna Bell got the BlueWave back within one point. The SFC answered with a jumper and a three to force the BlueWave to call a timeout. Several turnovers and missed buckets from the BlueWave allowed Santa Fe to go on a 7-0 run to end the quarter with the Saints in the lead 27-18.

FSCJ came out of the locker rooom determined to gain the lead and freshman Jaiden Ross started off the 9-2 run within the first five minutes of the game. Again with two free throws from Jaiden Ross and a floater from Kahliya Gaitor, the BlueWave regained the lead headed into the fourth quarter 37-34

SFC right off the bench with a quick bucket to start the fourth quarter. A couple of free-throws and a three-pointer from M'Kayla Patterson extended the Bluewave lead by 9. Not backing down, the Saints battled back the last 4 minutes of the game going on a 11-2 run to tie the game with 6 seconds left on the clock. With a timeout taken, FSCJ had to inbound the ball and go the full length of the court within seconds to avoid going into overtime. Point guard Johanna Bell quickly transitioned down the floor finding freshman Avery Cannon behind the arc with ample time to catch and release to see the ball through the net at the buzzer. 

FSCJ picked up the 54-51 buzzer beater win to start off conference 1-0. The last time that the BlueWave defeated the Saints at home was in 2017.

Jaiden Ross led the BlueWave with 16 points and 10 rebounds and Ameera Thomas joined her in the double digit performance adding her own 12 points and 14 rebounds.