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{{Short description|Indian basketball player (born 1999)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2025}}

'''Susan Florentina Saji''' (born 18 February 1999)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-24 |title=Susan Florentina Saji (India) - Basketball Stats, Height, Age {{!}} FIBA Basketball |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/en/players/388873-susan-florentina-saji#career-stats |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=www.fiba.basketball |language=en}}</ref> is an Indian [[basketball]] player from [[Kerala]]. She plays for the [[India women's national basketball team]] as a power forward.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Know Your Squad: Indian women's basketball team for SABA Women's Championship 2025 |url=https://khelnow.com/basketball/saba-womens-championship-2025-india-squad-facts-202502#google_vignette |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Khel Now |language=en-us}}</ref> She plays for Kerala and [[Kerala State Electricity Board|Kerala State Electricity Board team]] in the domestic tournaments.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sreekala to lead Team India in SABA qualifiers, two other Keralites in squad |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/other-sports/2025/02/20/saba-qualifiers-three-kerala-basketball-players-india-squad-sreekala-captain.html |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=OnManorama.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Basketball Women's Squad - KSEB |url=https://kseb.in/sbuarticledetail/eyJpdiI6IlI1cXhIRnJlQ1BnZVNEWHIzZUpaTXc9PSIsInZhbHVlIjoiTlliU2ZPN21zRDU2T2VMcHZ6Y1BYZz09IiwibWFjIjoiYzIyNjU3Nzk2ZjljMGVjMWJkNTJiZGI4MDY1NTAzN2I0ZWUxNjQzZTc3M2RiN2U3ZjEyMjE3NTQ4ZDcyN2UxMyIsInRhZyI6IiJ9/eyJpdiI6IkVZNkFtdEt6d1hGSkRQQ3BVOVE2d1E9PSIsInZhbHVlIjoiZXM2VExPVzFFMFh1VS93YjlLQmZOdz09IiwibWFjIjoiZmE0MDIwN2VjMDAxZjhmZTIwM2FjNDNlNjI2MjIwOThiYjc2YTZlZjA2M2I2NGFkNGUwMWJjYmUwNTFjNjc0ZCIsInRhZyI6IiJ9 |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=kseb.in}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Florentina is from [[Idukki township|Idukki]] but is a resident of [[Thiruvananthapuram]], Kerala. She is the daughter of late Saji TV and Elizabeth John.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=FIBA. Basketball 3x3 - Confirmed profile - Susan Florentina |url=https://play.fiba3x3.com/players/2092013e-85c0-4e9b-88df-cfd8b21a84b7 |access-date=24 February 2025 |website=Play.FIBA3x3.com}}</ref> She did her graduation at Alphonsa College in Pala, [[Kottayam]]. Her height caught the attention of her teacher Smithesh Johnson, who suggested her parents to send her for playing basketball. She learnt her basics under her first coach Biju D Theman and started enjoying the game. Later, she worked hard at college under coach Martin Mathew and was selected for the Kerala State Electricity Board team. She currently trains under coach Aju Jacob.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-24 |title=Never dribbled basketball till 15, but hard work lands Susan in Indian team |url=https://opendigest.in/never-dribbled-basketball-till-15-but-hard-work-lands-susan-in-indian-team/ |access-date=2025-02-24 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Career ==
Florentina is selected for the Indian team in the [[2025 SABA Women's Championship|3rd South Asian Basketball Association Women's Championship 2025]] qualifiers at [[New Delhi]] from 23 to 26 February 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Monteiro |first=Leandra |title=3rd South Asian Women's C'ship: Indian Basketball Squad Announced |url=https://www.ekalavyas.com/p/3rd-south-asian-womens-cship-indian-basketball |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=www.ekalavyas.com |language=en}}</ref> The Indian team played [[Maldives women's national football team results|Maldives]] and [[Nepal women's national football team|Nepal]] for a berth in the [[FIBA Women's Asia Cup|FIBA women's Asia Cup]]. She made her senior India debut in the first match, where India defeated Nepal 113–32, on 23 February 2025 at Delhi.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pitts |first=Andre |date=23 February 2025 |title=Indian basketball team opens campaign with 113-32 win over Nepal |url=https://www.olympics.com/en/news/saba-women-championship-2025-basketball-india-vs-nepal-match-report |access-date=24 February 2025 |website=Olympics.com}}</ref> And she also played the second match and the final, against Maldives.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FIBA LiveStats India vs. Maldives |url=https://fibalivestats.dcd.shared.geniussports.com/u/FASIA/2624277/bs.html |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=geniussports.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=FIBA LiveStats - Final - India vs. Maldives |url=https://fibalivestats.dcd.shared.geniussports.com/u/FASIA/2624278/bs.html |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=geniussports.com}}</ref>

Earlier in 2025, she was part of the Kerala team which bagged the silver medal at the [[National Games of India|National Games]] 2025.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-01-30 |title=NATIONAL GAMES {{!}} Punjab men, Kerala women enter basketball semifinals |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/national-games-punjab-men-kerala-women-enter-basketball-semifinals/article69159784.ece |access-date=2025-02-25 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> She was also part of the Kerala team that won a silver medal in the 74th Senior National Basketball Championship at [[Bhavnagar]], Gujarat in January 2025. In the final against Railways, she scored 17 points and Sreekala garnered 18, but they lost the title 86–53.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-01-12 |title=National Championships: Tamil Nadu men, Railway women retain National basketball titles |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/basketball/article69092554.ece |access-date=2025-02-24 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> In the semifinal against Delhi, Florentina ably assisted her captain [[Sreekala Rani|Sreekala]] (25 points), by scoring 12 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Senior National Basketball: Kerala women edge resilient Delhi to enter final |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/other-sports/2025/01/11/senior-national-basketball-kerala-delhi-semifinal.html |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=OnManorama.com |language=en}}</ref>

In January 2025, she was part of the Kerala team that won the 4th 3x3 Senior National Basketball Championship 2024 for Women.<ref name=":0" /> Earlier in September 2024, she played for KSEB which finished runners up in the 5th Kerala Senior State 3x3 Basketball Championship.<ref name=":0" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Sports links}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Florentina, Susan}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1999 births]]
[[Category:Indian women's basketball players]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Kerala]]
[[Category:Sportswomen from Kerala]]
[[Category:Power forwards]]
[[Category:People from Idukki district]]
[[Category:Malayali people]]

Susan Florentina - Revision history

Allenjacksparrow: starting a stub