Tugce Canitez tallied 26 points and 20 rebounds to help lead 11th-ranked Westmont (13-3, 4-0 GSAC) to a 69-49 Golden State Athletic Conference women’s basketball win over visiting Hope International (9-10, 1-3). In two games this week, Canitez has scored 49 points and pulled down 36 rebounds.
Westmont struggled in the first half, scoring just 20 points to the Royals’ 27. The second half was a different story as the Warriors broke out a 15-3 run in the first three minutes and 15 seconds to take a 35-30 lead.
Over the next 45 seconds, Hope responded with Brittany Bauman (14 points) connecting on a three-pointer and Andrina Rendon (19 points, 6 rebounds) completing a layup to tie the game at 35.
After two free throws by Canitez, Rendon recaptured the lead for the Royals (38-37) with her fourth three-pointer of the night. Westmont’s Larissa Hensley (10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals) and Hope’s Shawna Staves (3 points, 10 rebounds) traded field goals before Kelsie Sampson (14 points, 8 rebounds) scored to put the Warriors up 41-40 with 12:30 remaining in regulation.
Two free throws by Rendon and a layup by Bauman would give the Royals their final lead of the night at 44-41. A layup by Hensley was the start of a 28-5 Warrior run over the final ten and one-half minutes of the game.
