UNBC Timberwolves captain Alina Shakirova has won the U SPORTS Canada West Conference female player-of-the-week award.
The fifth-year guard took the T-wolves on her shoulders last weekend at the Northern Sport Centre and her hot shooting hand gave UNBC a split in their two-game series against the highly-ranked Winnipeg Wesmen.
Her 21-point, six-rebound, three-steal effort paved the way to a 66-64 win over Winnipeg on Saturday, only the fourth loss in 14 games this season for the Wesmen. She hit four of her three-point attempts and kept her opponents guessing with her jump shot.
Shakirova’s zinger from three-point range iced a late-game comeback attempt from the visitors.
Shakirova, a former Duchess Park Condor high school star originally from Moscow, Russia, kept her team close in Friday’s game, a 72-65 T-wolves’ loss as she finished with 17 points, five rebounds and two steals.
She now ranks seventh in Canada West scoring, averaging 17.2 points per game.
The T-wolves women (5-9) will be in Calgary this weekend to face the Mount Royal Cougars (8-6) Friday and Saturday.
The T-wolves men (5-9) will try to end a six-game losing steak Friday against Mount Royal (7-7).
The games are webcast live on Canada West TV.
