February 28, 2007
San Antonio – St. Mary’s University women’s basketball player Natalie Gamez was named Heartland Conference Women’s Basketball co-Player of the Week for her play last week, it was announced by the conference office on Tuesday. She shared the honor with Montana State University-Billings forward Michelle Lieber.
Gamez (So., San Antonio) averaged 18.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game in three games last week, helping the Rattlers clinch a berth in the Heartland Conference Tournament. She shot 50.0 percent for the week, including 53.3 percent from three-point range. Against St. Edward’s University she scored 28 points, pulled down nine rebounds and dished out six assists. She then followed that up with 16 points and eight rebounds against Oklahoma Panhandle State University. She finished off the week with her second double-double this season, scoring 11 points and dishing out 11 rebounds against the University of Texas of the Permian Basin.
Gamez leads the Rattlers with 14.9 points and 5.1 points per game. She is shooting 37.5 percent from the field and 34.6 from three-point range.
Gamez is the fourth Rattler to earn Heartland player of the week honors this season. Juanita Merchant (Jr., Angleton), Charlena Rodez (Sr., Cedar Park) and Ashton Benford (So., Waxahachie) have all been chosen previously. Benford has earned the recognition twice this season.
Gamez and the Rattlers (12-15 overall, 5-5 Heartland Conference) are the fourth seed in the Heartland Conference Tournament, which will be held on the campus of the University of North Texas on Friday and Saturday. St. Mary’s will face top seeded Montana State University-Billings on Friday at noon in the first game of the tournament. The winner of that game will advance to the tournament championship, which will tip off on Saturday at 3 p.m.