LANGLEY TOWNSHIP, British Columbia, Canada – It was an almost ideal way to start the season for the Gannon women's basketball team.
 
The goals were clear: Take a trip out West to another country and play in a tip-off tournament. Do some sightseeing and team activities. Bond with teammates. And, of course, open the season with three wins.
 
Coach Cleve Wright's Golden Knights completed all those goals on Sunday as they claimed their third consecutive victory with a 72-60 win over St. Edward's (Texas) on the final day of the Canadian Tip-Off Classic.
 
This was a trip that the Golden Knights had looked forward to during the offseason and had raised more than $40,000 to fund during their annual Free-Throw-A-Thon in September.
 
Gannon will now look to host the Atlantic Region Challenge next weekend at the Hagerty Family Events Center.
 
 
How it happened:
 
St. Edward's was effective in the first half, limiting Gannon to 16.6 percent shooting in the second quarter while taking a 32-30 halftime lead.
 
However, Gannon took command in the third quarter. The Golden Knights shot 56 percent from the field while holding the Hilltoppers 20 percent shooting. The result was a 22-8 scoring edge for Gannon as the Knights took a 52-40 lead into the fourth quarter.
 
A jumpshot in the paint and a 3-point-field goal by Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) to open the fourth quarter helped move GU's lead to 15 points. St. Edward's eventually whittled Gannon's advantage to six points with 2:25 remaining, but Claxon hit another 3-pointer to stall the Hilltoppers' surge.
 
Senior point guard Trinitee Harris (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Central) hit a jumpshot and two free throws to build GU's lead to 68-56 with 50 seconds remaining. Claxon and Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) each hit a pair of free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.
 
 
By the numbers:
 
Claxon, a junior shooting guard, led Gannon with 22 points. She made 8-of-17 field-goal attempts, including 3-of-4 3-point attempts.  She also sank 3-of-4 foul shots.
 
Junior shooting guard Carissa Dunham (Fairview, Pa./Villa Maria) scored 13 points, connecting on a trio of 3-point field goals and making all four of her free-throw attempts. Dunham finished the tournament 11-of-23 from 3-point range and 6-of-6 from the foul line.
 
Ratliff, a sophomore shooting guard, made three field goals and 6-of-7 foul shots to finish with 12 points.
 
Sophomore post player Andrea Maibach (Creston, Ohio/Norwayne) led Gannon with 10 rebounds and three steals, and she added eight points.
 
Harris paced GU with six assists and added eight points, including several key points in the fourth period. Junior shooting guard Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) added seven points and seven rebounds.

Maibach and Ratliff made the all-tournament first team, while Claxon and Wheatley landed spots on the second team.
 
Gannon made 17-of-21 free throws in the game and made all six of their attempts in the fourth quarter.



All-tournament team:

1st Team
Sophia Wisotzki – Simon Fraser University
Andrea Maibach (Creston, Ohio/Norwayne) – Gannon University
Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) – Gannon University
Audrey Ramsey – University of Tampa
Zoe Piller –   University of Tampa

2nd Team
Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) -  Gannon University
Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) -  Gannon University
Alaiyah San Juan  – Dominican University of California
Janiah Perkins – St. Edward's University
Layne Kearns –  Seattle Pacific University What's ahead:
 
Gannon will host the Atlantic Region Challenge on Saturday and Sunday. The Knights will face Glenville State on Saturday at 3 p.m. and will meet Davis & Elkins on Sunday at 3 p.m.