Moore, Canitez receive top GSAC awards

After going 14-0 in conference play, Westmont Women’s Basketball is well represented in the Golden State Athletic Conference awards released today.

Head coach Kirsten Moore was named the GSAC Coach of the Year for the second year in a row. In her eighth season at Westmont, Moore has guided her team to a 24-3 record and an NAIA national ranking of number four. In her head coaching career, all at Westmont, Moore has accumulated a record of 167-77 for a winning percentage of .684.

Also honored for the second year in a row is Tugce Canitez, a senior forward from Izmir, Turkey. Canitez was named the 2012-13 GSAC Player of the Year. In 26 games, Canitez has tallied 557 points (21.4 points per game) and 312 rebounds (12.0 per game) to lead the GSAC in both categories. She also leads the GSAC in field goal percentage at .563 (184 of 327). In 11 statistical categories published by the GSAC, Canitez ranks in the top-10. Last summer Canitez participated in the London Olympic Games, playing for her native country.

In addition to Canitez, sophomore guard Esther Lee of Los Angeles and junior forward Kelsie Sampson of Torrance were named to the 2012-13 All-Golden State Athletic Conference team.

Lee leads the GSAC in three-point field goal accuracy with a .453 precentage (67 of 148) and in three-point field goals per game (2.79). She also ranks thirteenth in the GSAC in scoring at 11.2 points per game and seventh in overall field goal percentage at .487 (97 of 199).

Sampson is the tenth leading scorer in the GSAC at 12.4 points per game and ranks ninth in field goal percentage at .470 (134 of 285). She also ranks third in the GSAC in blocked shots (1.40 per game) having established a new Westmont single-season record with 35.

The Warriors are the top-seeded team in the GSAC Women’s Basketball Tournament and as such earned byes in the first two rounds. Westmont will open GSAC Tournament play in the semifinals on Friday, March 1, taking on the winner of the game between fifth seeded-Concordia and fourth-seeded San Diego Christian. Tip-off on Friday is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Murchison Gymnasium.

The winner of Friday night’s semifinal will advance to the GSAC Championship game on Tuesday, March 5 at Concordia in Irvine. Tip off on Tuesday is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.