WBB: Manitoba talent, international flair highlight Canada West's best

Kyanna Giles (left) and Sabine Dukate (right) were both named CW first team all-stars.
Kyanna Giles (left) and Sabine Dukate (right) were both named CW first team all-stars.
Posted: Feb 21, 2019

Evan Daum, Canada West Communications

EDMONTON – Talent from the province of Manitoba, along with a pair of international talents, can now call themselves Canada West women's basketball first team all-stars.

The conference unveiled it's three all-star teams Thursday, along with its all-rookie squad, ahead of this weekend's best-of-three conference semifinals. Those series both open Thursday when the Saskatchewan Huskies host the Lethbridge Pronghorns, and the Calgary Dinos host the Regina Cougars.

Leading the all-star charge on the first team was the province of Manitoba, as three products of the Keystone Province were named to the top team by the conference's 17 head coaches, who selected the all-star and all-rookies.

Highlights:

  • Manitobans Keylyn Filewich (UBC), Kyanna Giles (Regina), and Faith Hezekiah (Winnipeg) were named CW first team all-stars
  • Sabine Dukate of Latvia (Saskatchewan), and Vasiliki Louka of Greece (UNBC) headline the five total international players honoured by the conference
  • The conference's 17 women's basketball head coaches selected the all-star and all-rookie teams, along with the CW major awards, which will be unveiled next week

Keylyn Filewich (UBC), Kyanna Giles (Regina), and Faith Hezekiah (Winnipeg) all hail from Manitoba, which was the only province represented on the top CW team.

Joining the trio on the first team were two international talents – Latvia's Sabine Dukate (Saskatchewan), and Greece's Vasiliki Louka (UNBC). The pair headline a combined five international players honoured by the conference.

In terms of team representation, the Saskatchewan Huskies and UBC Thunderbirds tied for the most honourees, with two players earning all-star status, along with one all-rookie apiece.

The conference's top individual honours will be announced on Thursday, February 28, when Canada West's six major award winners will be released.

You can watch some of the conference's top talent in action this weekend, as Saskatchewan hosts Lethbridge in one conference semi, while Calgary and Regina go head-to-head in the other.

All games in the best-of-three series can be seen live on Canada West TV.

FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM

POSITION / NAME / UNIVERSITY / YEAR / HOMETOWN

  • G / Sabine Dukate / Saskatchewan / 4 / Ventspiils, Latvia
  • F / Keylyn Filewich / UBC / 3 / Winnipeg, Man.
  • G / Kyanna Giles / Regina / 3 / Winnipeg, Man.
  • F / Faith Hezekiah / Winnipeg / 4 / East St. Paul, Man.
  • F / Vasiliki Louka / UNBC / 5 / Athens, Greece

SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM

  • G / Kacie Bosch / Lethbridge / 4 / Lethbridge, Alta.
  • G / Amira Giannattasio / Victoria / 5 / Hamilton, Ont.
  • G / Emma Kary / Alberta / 3 / Calgary, Alta.
  • F / Summer Masikewich / Saskatchewan / Calgary, Alta.
  • G & F / Erin McIntosh / Calgary / 4 / Calgary, Alta.

THIRD ALL-STAR TEAM

  • G / Jessie Brown / Trinity Western / 5 / Langley, B.C.
  • F / Taylor Claggett / Fraser Valley / 4 / Mission, B.C.
  • F / Maria Mongomo / UNBC / 4 / Las Palmas, Spain
  • G / Maddison Penn / UBC / 4 / Avoca Beach, Australia
  • G / Taylor Randall / Manitoba / 3 / Dundas, Ont.

ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

  • G / Hailey Counsell / UBC / Port Moody, B.C.
  • F / Ashley De Sousa Martins / Saskatchewan / Saskatoon, Sask.
  • F / Nicole Fransson / Trinity Western / Edmonton, Alta.
  • G / Maddison Hooper / Mount Royal / Perth, Australia
  • G / Abby Zawada / Fraser Valley / Richmond, B.C.