Press Release
2/23 - ALL-NWC: Three Bruins Honored with All-Northwest Conference Basketball Recognition
Complete All-Northwest Conference Teams
NEWBERG, Ore. - Three members of the George Fox University men's basketball team have received 2005-06 All-Northwest Conference recognition as wing Aaron Schmick was named to the First Team, post Scott Szalay made Second Team, and wing Phil Heu-Weller received honorable mention.
The three played major roles in the Bruins fashioning a 16-9 record, including a 9-7 record in conference play that earned them 4th place in the league standings. It was the second straight winning season for the Bruins after several down seasons.
Schmick, a senior from Hillsboro, Ore., capped off an outstanding four-year career by earning First Team All-NWC honors for the second year in a row. He led the team in scoring with 17.6 points per game, ranking 5th in the league. His league-leading .888 free throw percentage was 16th nationally, and his 16-16 game from the free throw line at Linfield was the third-highest perfect mark in the country this season. He set a new GFU record for best free throw percentage in a game and tied the record for most free throws made in a game with 16, also reached by Bruin All-American and NBA draftee Kenny Stone. At one point, he connected on 48 straight free throws, the second-longest streak ever for a Bruin and only 11 short of the NCAA Division III record in one season. He was 6th in the NWC in assists (3.32), 8th in three-point field goals (2.32), and 9th in three-point percentage (.408).
Schmick ended his career 7th on the all-time GFU scoring list with 1,470 points and 4th in career free throw percentage (.837, 345-412). He also had 288 assists and 100 steals.
Szalay, a senior from Everett, Wash., came up big for the Bruins after the graduation of 2004-05 NWC Player of the Year Mark Gayman, leading the league in blocked shots (1.76) while ranking 2nd in rebounds per game (9.0). He was also 9th in field goal percentage (.546) and 21st in scoring (12.6). During the season, he posted 10 double-doubles in points and rebounds, and had 17 in his three-year career. He was the Northwest Conference Player of the Week for Feb. 6-12. He is one of only five Bruins ever to reach triple digits in blocked shots, ranking 5th all-time with 107, and ended his career with 815 points and 599 rebounds. He was an honorable mention All-NWC honoree as a sophomore.
Heu-Weller, a junior from Olympia, Wash., was one of four Bruins to average double figures in points this season, ranking 2nd on the team and 16th in the league with 13.0 points per game. He was 4th in three-point field goal percentage (.432), 5th in free throw percentage (.809), 11th in three-pointers per game (2.16), and 19th in rebounding (4.3). He was Northwest Conference Player of the Week the first week of the season (Nov. 14-20) after scoring 32 points in a season-opening win over Northwest. This was the second year in a row he has received honorable mention All-NWC honors.