For the first time this season, the NEO women's basketball team wasn't walking into someone else's house. The banners hung still above the court, the crowd filled the bleachers with familiar faces, and the hardwood finally belonged to them. It was their first home game—and their second conference test—and everyone in the building could feel that it mattered.
From the opening tip, NEO played like a team eager to make a statement.
Seminole State College came in tough and confident, answering early baskets and refusing to let the moment overwhelm them. But NEO matched every run with poise. Carolina Furtado set the tone, attacking the basket and knocking down shots with confidence. Every time Seminole State threatened, Carolina answered—finishing the night with a game-high 21 points and reminding everyone why she's a go-to scorer.
Inside, Taneya Howard owned the paint.
She battled for every rebound, muscled through contact, and turned second chances into points. Her presence was steady and relentless—14 points, 11 rebounds, and countless plays that didn't show up on the stat sheet but changed the flow of the game. When NEO needed control, Taneya provided it.
Then came the spark off the bench.
Eliana Florence-Valentin checked in quietly—but the silence didn't last long. Shot after shot fell from beyond the arc. Seven threes on eight attempts. Each one louder than the last. The crowd rose, the bench erupted, and Seminole State scrambled for answers that never came. Eliana finished with 23 points, transforming momentum into belief and belief into separation.
By the fourth quarter, NEO had found its rhythm.
The ball moved. The defense tightened. The energy never dipped. Seminole State fought to the end, but the outcome was no longer in doubt. When the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard told the story:
NEO Lady Norse 90, Seminole State College 77.
Players hugged at center court. Coaches smiled. Fans lingered, soaking in the moment. It wasn't just a win—it was a beginning. A first home victory, a conference statement, and proof that this NEO WBB team is built on balance, toughness, and belief.
