Gfeller, Stiles named All-Big Sky

Carmen Gfeller and Sophia Stiles of the Montana women's basketball team have been voted All-Big Sky Conference, the league announced on Monday morning.

Gfeller, third team last year, was one of five players to make first team. She is only the second Lady Griz to earn first-team honors the last eight years, joining McKenzie Johnston, first team in 2019-20.

Stiles was one of five second-team selections. It marks the first time since 2015-16 that Montana has had a pair of players earn first- or second-team honors.

Joining Gfeller on the first team were Big Sky MVP Lianna Tillman of Sacramento State, Beyonce Bea of Idaho, Darian White of Montana State and Tomekia Whitman of regular-season champion Idaho State.

Gfeller made third team last season and was one of six players on October's preseason All-Big Sky team.

Rarely flashy but reliably consistent, Gfeller averaged 13.9 points on 52.1 percent shooting during the regular season while grabbing 6.7 rebounds. She had six double-doubles.

In 23 of 29 games she scored in double figures despite averaging fewer than 10 shots per game during the season. Only eight times all year did she take more than 10 shots, highlighting her efficiency.

"As a coach, you go through scouts and prepare for certain players. On our team, you have to prepare for her. She's had some unbelievable performances for us," said coach Brian Holsinger.

"She's improved on the defensive end and has worked really hard to continue to develop her game and to be more and more versatile."

Gfeller scored a then season-high 21 points in Montana's home win over Seattle in December. She scored 20 at Idaho, then exploded for 34 on just 16 shots in her team's home win over Montana State.

She went 11 for 16, hit five of her seven shots from 3-point range and went 7 for 8 from the free throw line as Montana won 71-57.

It was the second-most points ever scored by a Lady Griz player against Montana State and helped Montana end a seven-game losing streak against the Bobcats.

"The performance against Montana State stands out," said Holsinger, who then points to Friday's win at Sacramento State, when Stiles had 29 points.

Gfeller operated in Stiles' shadow for most of the night, but with the game tied early in the fourth quarter, it was Gfeller, on a high-low from Abby Anderson, who Montana went to.

She would finish with a quiet but important 13 points, right at her average despite Stiles' huge game.

"Even the other night at Sac State, we're going to her down the stretch and putting her in mismatches where people are having to game plan for her," said Holsinger.

Stiles was perhaps overlooked last season when she averaged 11.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists. She showed up nowhere on the All-Big Sky lists, not even honorable mention.

She made it impossible to ignore her this year.

She is averaging 11.8 points on career-best shooting, 6.0 rebounds and more than four assists, and has Montana one victory from its first 20-win season since 2015-16.

Beyond those numbers, she has been an extension of Holsinger on the court since the first-year coach was hired last April. Her leadership has been first-team level.

"She is our leader, the heartbeat of our team, and that part of it doesn't always get votes," Holsinger said. "It's a big responsibility, and she's been learning what that means all season."

Stiles has been at her best the last month as she's helped fill the void left by Sammy Fatkin's absence. Mainly a pass-first point guard the first part of the season, Stiles has become a scorer as needed.

She's scored in double figures the last nine games. During that stretch she's averaged 16.9 points on 47 percent shooting.

"Some of her success down the stretch is that she's figuring out how to play in our system and what we've needed her to do to win," said Holsinger.

"Some of it was having to step up and score more points because Sammy was out."

Stiles had a then career-high 27 points on 12-of-21 shooting in Montana's three-point home win over Idaho in mid-February.

On Friday night, in what turned out to be a play-in game for a bye at this week's Big Sky tournament in Boise, Stiles erupted for 29 points on 13-of-25 shooting as Montana gutted out a 59-53 road win.

Time and again she made the simple play and made the game look easy. She got to the rim when it was open. Otherwise she gave the Hornets a steady diet of pull-up jump shots from 12 to 15 feet out.

"I've been telling her all season, just take what the defense gives you. When you do that, that makes you successful," said Holsinger.

"She's had a couple of really big games when we've needed it. When she does, we get to win, which is ultimately the goal."

Montana tied for fourth in the Big Sky standings at 12-8, matching the program's best finish since winning the league in 2014-15.

That earned the Lady Griz the No. 5 seed at this week's tournament and a bye to the quarterfinals. Montana will face No. 4 Northern Arizona on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. in its opener.

2021-22 All-Big Sky Conference Teams

First Team
Lianna Tillman, Sacramento State *
Beyonce Bea, Idaho *
Darian White, Montana State *
Carmen Gfeller, Montana
Tomekia Whitman, Idaho State

* Unanimous selection

Second Team
Isnelle Natabou, Sacramento State
Estefania Ors, Idaho State
Sophia Stiles, Montana
Hannah Simental, Northern Colorado
Daryn Hickok, Weber State

Third Team
Kola Bad Bear, Montana State
Darri Dotson, Southern Utah
Kurstyn Harden, Northern Colorado
Jacinta Buckley, Eastern Washington
Diaba Konate, Idaho State

Honorable Mention
Daylani Ballena, Southern Utah
Cherita Daugherty, Southern Utah
Regan Schenck, Northern Arizona
Louise Forsyth, Idaho
Jaydia Martin, Eastern Washington
Khiarica Rasheed, Northern Arizona

Individual Award Winners:

Most Valuable Player: Lianna Tillman, Sacramento State
Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Darian White, Montana State; Tomekia Whitman, Idaho State
Top Reserve: Louise Forsyth, Idaho
Newcomer of the Year: Isnelle Natabou, Sacramento State
Freshman of the Year: Jaydia Martin, Eastern Washington

University of Montana Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Abby Anderson

Sammy Fatkin

Carmen Gfeller

McKenzie Johnston

Sophia Stiles

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