Jessica Renfrew is team-first and thereB次元官网网址檚 no other way about it.

The selfless basketball player has hit a new level this year as a regular starter for the UVic Vikes.

On Tuesday the 20-year-old was named Canada WestB次元官网网址檚 Athlete of the Week for all sports, having helped the Vikes to a pair of road wins. Renfrew scored 21 points in the VikesB次元官网网址� 72-51 win over the Winnipeg Wesmen and 23 points in a 79-62 win over the Manitoba Bisons on Friday and Saturday to win the award.

ItB次元官网网址檚 all part of the RenfrewB次元官网网址檚 arrival as an all-star calibre player in the CIS.

B次元官网网址淪he wonB次元官网网址檛 see it that way,B次元官网网址� said Vikes coach Dani Sinclair.

B次元官网网址淩enfrew just wants whatB次元官网网址檚 best for the team. SheB次元官网网址檚 very unselfish. Nobody works harder than her. SheB次元官网网址檚 in the gym every single day, even in the summer, and itB次元官网网址檚 not for personal accolades, but because she wants the team to succeed.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 remember any award that is as honouring as this one,B次元官网网址� Renfrew said. B次元官网网址淭here are a lot of great basketball players in my league and my teammates have been super congratulatory (about Athlete of the Week), but itB次元官网网址檚 only because of our team success. I couldnB次元官网网址檛 have done it without the support of the team.B次元官网网址�

It might sound clich茅, but only to a point.

Before Renfrew joined the Vikes she was named Claremont secondaryB次元官网网址檚 high school athlete of the year for her contributions to the provincial champion soccer team and basketball team that made the final-four. Only thing is, sheB次元官网网址檚 not exactly sure which year she won it.

B次元官网网址淕rade 11, I think.B次元官网网址�

RenfrewB次元官网网址檚 now in her third season with the Vikes and is part of a core of younger players with fellow third-year Cassandra Goodis who bring promise to the rest of this season, and beyond.

Already Renfrew has seen the Vikes shift through major adversity. Her first year under former coach Brian Cheng was B次元官网网址渁 huge learning curveB次元官网网址� playing behind CIS MVP Kayla Dykstra and veteran Vanessa Forstbauer. Then came the surprise second half to her rookie year, when injuries ended DykstraB次元官网网址檚 and ForstbauerB次元官网网址檚 seasons, which led to regular floor time for Renfrew.

Then came the VikesB次元官网网址� rebuild last season under new head coach Rich Chambers (currently on leave).

B次元官网网址淚 played a lot, and started, but it didnB次元官网网址檛 go as well as weB次元官网网址檇 hoped,B次元官网网址� Renfrew said.

During those years Renfrew and Sinclair furthere cemented their relationship, one that started back in 2004 when Sinclair was the assistant coach on the 2004 B.C. Summer Games girls basketball team. Renfrew and Vikes second-year guard Shaylyn Crisp, also of Claremont, was on that team.

B次元官网网址淓ven back then Renfrew showed signs of being able to play at this level,B次元官网网址� Sinclair said.

B次元官网网址淪he and I have built a relationship over a number of years, and I joke that IB次元官网网址檓 harder on her than anyone else, and I might be, so maybe that does go back to the fact that weB次元官网网址檝e had a coach-player relationship for so long.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚t really started to develop this year,B次元官网网址� said Renfrew. B次元官网网址淲ith me getting older and (Sinclair) starting to understand each other better, and our desires to be better.B次元官网网址�

Key to RenfrewB次元官网网址檚 breakout success this year are the additions sheB次元官网网址檚 made to her game.

B次元官网网址淪he has a pull-up shot now, shoots three consistently, and always has run the floor very well. SheB次元官网网址檚 also become a better defender, a more well-rounded player.B次元官网网址�

Statistically, fifth-year Vikes guard Debbie Yeboah is third among scorers in the Canada West with 223 points, an average of 18.6 per game. Renfrew is 12th with with 177 points (14.8 ppg). It breaks down to 71 field goals (two-pointers) as well as 19 three-pointers, which is 13th in the league.

Point guard Goodis is the leading setup player in the Canada West with an average of 6.8 assists per game, 82 in 12 games so far.

The Vikes are now 8-4 and face a huge test Friday night against the visiting Regina Cougars (11-1), the No. 2 ranked team in the CIS.

The women play at 6 p.m. in McKinnon Gym, with the men following at 8 p.m.

B次元官网网址淭o beat Regina you have to limit your mistakes,B次元官网网址� Sinclair said. B次元官网网址淭hey make you pay if you make mistakes, so we have to be nearly perfect in our execution. Not that we have to play outside of ourselves, but take care of detail, theyB次元官网网址檙e very talented and have a lot of depth. TheyB次元官网网址檝e been to national championships for many years running and they know how to win.B次元官网网址�