BB: WPG guard, SSK forward rise above in tough match-ups
Giles, Amoafo named CW Players of the Week
CALGARY – Winnipeg's Kyanna Giles and Saskatchewan's Maxwell Amoafo were named the Canada West Basketball Players of the Week by the conference on Tuesday.
Giles had a weekend to remember, going off for 46 points in her team's contest against the higher-ranked Fraser Valley Cascades Friday. The mark puts her second in the CW record books for most points in a game, behind Calgary's Meagan Koch who put up 49 against Saskatchewan in 1996. It also set a Wesmen CW-era record.
Giles tallied more than half her team's points in a nail-biting affair that saw two of the conference's top teams clash at the Duckworth Centre. Her tenacity saw her get to the stripe for 17 attempts, 16 of which she splashed.
Her absolutely electric performance proved even sweeter, as it came against the conference's second-best defence.
Giles was also fantastic on the boards, grabbing nine rebounds. Four of them came on the offensive side against the conference's second-best team in limiting opponent rebounds.
Then, when her team needed her the most, as the Cascades cut the Wesmen lead to one with two minutes left, Giles rose up for a big three-pointer, one of her only two in the game, creating the space Winnipeg would need to seal the deal, 85-82.
The Winnipeg product returned for Saturday's rematch with 16 points, five rebounds, five assists and a steal to help her Wesmen to the weekend sweep. The two wins boost Winnipeg past Fraser Valley into fourth.
At the individual level, Giles moves up into a tie for 15th all time on the CW record list for conference scoring with 1,521 career points.
Giles and the Wesmen will be back in action for a good ol' crosstown rivalry Friday and Saturday. They'll be at the University of Manitoba to take on the Bisons at 6 p.m. Friday, then back home to welcome them at 5 p.m. Saturday. You can catch the action exclusively on Canada West TV.
Game log:
Jan. 27: 46 points, 9 rebs, 3 asts, 3 stls in 85-82 W vs UFV
Jan. 28: 16 points, 5 rebs, 5 asts, 1 stl in 63-50 W vs UFV
Meanwhile, Saskatchewan's Amoafo helped his team to a weekend sweep with a pair of impressive double-doubles.
In what has been a frustrating year for the 2022 U SPORTS national silver medalists, Amoafo provided his Huskies with a late-season jolt of energy. The fifth-year forward set the tone off the jump Friday with two lay-ups and five rebounds to spark Saskatchewan.
After the Huskies conceded their lead to the Spartans in the second, Amoafo stepped in again with two straights lay-ups and a dunk. It created an advantage the Huskies continued to build en route to a 104-87 victory over the then 11-5 Spartans.
Amoafo finished the night with 21 points, 13 rebounds, a block and two steals.
The Accra, Ghana product was eager to prove Friday was no fluke, coming back Saturday with 17 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two blocks. His play on both ends of the floor helped the then 4-11 Huskies take down the Spartans and stay alive in the playoff race.
Amoafo and the Huskies will be back in action Friday and Saturday when they host the Alberta Golden Bears at 8 p.m. and 7 p.m. CST respectively. You can catch the games exclusively on Canada West TV.
Game log:
Jan. 27: 21 points, 13 rebs, 1 blk, 2 stls in 104-87 W vs TWU
Jan. 28: 17 points, 10 rebs, 2 asts, 2 blks in 82-64 W vs TWU