BYU-Hawaii's Mahina Gago leaves lasting impression on D-I foes

Mahina Gago earns Player of the Week honors

PHOENIX, AZ - BYU-Hawaii senior guard Mahina Gago (Las Vegas, NV/Bonanza) has been named the Pacific West Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week.

The award was announced by the PacWest Media Office in Phoenix, AZ, on Monday, Dec. 7, for games contested Nov. 30-Dec. 6.

Gago led BYU-Hawaii to a 1-1 week vs. a pair of Division I foes in Hawai‘i and San Francisco.

The Seasiders became the first PacWest women's basketball team to beat a Division I program when they defeated San Francisco 69-61 behind Gago's 23 points and nine rebounds.

For the week, she averaged 16.0 points and 6.0 rebounds, tying for third in scoring and tying for sixth in rebounding in the league.

She also averaged 2.0 assists per game and made 85.7% (6 for 7) of her foul shots.

Women's Basketball Weekly Report (PDF)

PacWestPacWest Women's Basketball Weekly Top 10 Honor Roll

Tammy Brawner - Dominican (CA) (Gr., 5-6, G, Oakland, CA/Skyline)...helped the Penguins to a 1-1 week by averaging 12.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game...ranked eighth in scoring, tied for sixth in rebounding, and ranked ninth in assist average for the week...tied for third in shooting (56.3% - 9 for 16)...tied for sixth in free throw percentage (85.7% - 6 for 7).

Lorraine Etchell (right) - Academy of Art (So., 5-8, G, Healdsburg, CA/Ursuline)...ranked sixth in scoring in the PacWest for the week...boasted 15.0 points per game...ranked eighth in shooting (48.5%) after making 16 of 33 field goal attempts...was 6 for 7 from the line (85.7%) to tie for sixth during the week...tied for third in three-pointers made per game (2.3) and tied for fourth in three-point shooting (7 for 16 - 43.8%).

Alisha Flaaten - Dominican (CA) (Sr., 5-6, G, Hayward, CA/Moreau Catholic)...led the Penguins to a 1-1 week by averaging 16.0 points and 3.0 assists per game...tied for third in scoring and fifth in assist average in the league for the week...perfect from the foul line (6 for 6)...averaged 2.0 steals per contest (6th for the week) and 2.0 three-pointers made per game (tied for 5th)...ranked second in assist/turnover ratio (1.5).

Kia Gibson - Grand Canyon (Jr., 6-0, C, Nine Mile Falls, WA/Lakeside)...averaged 10.0 points and 1.5 blocks per game at the PacWest/GNAC Tournament hosted by Northwest Nazarene on Dec. 4 & 5...led PacWest in blocking shots for the week...tied for 10th in scoring...tied for third in shooting (9 for 16) with a 56.3% average...doled out 2.0 assists per contest.

Jessie Ingraham (left) - Dixie State (Sr., 5-6, G, Tucson, AZ/Canyon Del Oro)...averaged 4.5 rebounds and 8.5 points per game in a tough 0-2 weekend for the Red Storm...named to the All-Tournament Team at the PacWest/GNAC Tournament at Northwest Nazarene.

Hina Kimitete - Hawai‘i Hilo (Sr., 5-3, G, Kailua-Kona, HI/Konawaena)...despite a tough 0-3 week for the Vulcans, she averaged 16.0 points per game to tie for third in the conference in scoring...tied for fifth in assists per game (3.0)...ranked second in steals per contest (4.7)...topped the PacWest in three-pointers made per game (3.3) and ranked sixth in three-point shooting (40.0%)...shot 75% (6 for 8) from the line (10th).

Samantha Murphy - Grand Canyon (Jr., 5-8, G, Phoenix, AZ/Xavier Prep)...named to PacWest/GNAC All-Tourney Team hosted by Northwest Nazarene on Dec. 4 & 5...led conference in scoring with a 22.5 points-per-game average...ranked fourth in assists per game (3.7), 11th in rebounding average (5.5), second in three-pointers made per game (2.5), third in steals (4.0), and third in three-point shooting (50.0% - 5 for 10)...was perfect from the line (10 for 10)...tied for fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.0)...led GCU to a 1-1 tournament.

Shareka Purnell (right) - Grand Canyon (Sr., 5-4, G, Dale City, VA/C.D. Hylton)...ranked ninth in scoring for the week in the PacWest with an 11.0 average...ranked third in rebounding (8.0) and second in assist average (4.5 p/g)...led GCU to a 1-1 week in the PacWest/GNAC Tournament at Northwest Nazarene...ranked fourth in steals per game (3.0) and third in assist/turnover ratio (1.3).

Sondra Stilwell - Academy of Art (Sr., 5-5, G, Redding, CA/Shasta)...ranked second in PacWest in scoring (17.0 ppg.)...shot 47.7% from the floor (21 for 44)...tied for fifth in assists per game for the week (3.0) and ranked fifth in steals per game (2.7)...tied for fourth in three-point shooting (43.8%) after making 7 of 16...tied for third in three-pointers made per game (2.3).

Dara Tompkison - BYU-Hawaii (So., 5-2, G, Honolulu, HI/Punahou)...led PacWest in assists per game (5.0), steals per game (5.0), and assist/turnover ratio (2.0)...averaged 6.0 points per game...helped Seasiders defeat San Francisco - first win by PacWest women's program over a D-I team...earned all stats vs. D-I teams as BYU-Hawaii also faced the University of Hawai‘i.