Michaels Named to Two All-Region Basketball Teams, Invited to All-Star Game

News Release Date:
Wednesday, March 14, 2012

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- While the men’s basketball season has ended, wave after wave of post-season honors continue to hit Whitman College senior David Michaels.

Michaels, the 2012 Northwest Conference Most Valuable Player, is quickly becoming the most decorated player in Whitman men’s basketball history. His latest accolades include garnering First Team honors on a pair of All-Region teams, and being selected to the nation’s most prestigious national All-Star Game.

David Michaels - In the air

This week, Michaels was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-West Region First team, as well as the D3hoops.com All-West Region First Team. He is the first men’s basketball player in Whitman College history to receive such honors. 

Adding to his West-Region honors, Michaels is the first Missionary men’s basketball player ever to be selected to participate in the NABC Reese’s All-Star Game, which will be played this coming Saturday, March 17, at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Va.

The game, which features the nation’s top men’s basketball seniors as selected by coaches from around the country, will be played in conjunction with the NCAA Division III semi-final and championship games.

Michaels is the only player from the west coast to make the cut, and one of only two from the West Region.

All-American awards have not yet been released, and are due out later this week—and there is a good chance Michaels could be among the honorees.

Michaels took the NWC by storm during one of the finest senior seasons ever witnessed at Whitman. An agile, versatile forward, the 6-foot-7 senior terrorized opponents with his ability to score from everywhere on the floor. He averaged 20 points per game, good enough for second-best in the NWC, but it was his uncanny efficiency that set him apart.

Michaels shot 55 percent from the floor, 46.3 percent from the 3-point line, and 78.8 percent from the free throw line. To put this in perspective, Michaels scored 20 points per game while attempting an average of just 10.7 shots per game in 26.8 minutes.

He was also Whitman’s leading rebounder, hauling down 6.0 rebounds per contest, and he ed the team in steals (33), blocks (14) and was third in assists (40). Statistically, Michaels finished in the top-10 in the NWC in eight categories, including: points (2^nd), 3-point percentage (2^nd), field goal percentage (5^th), free throw percentage (5^th), steals (5^th), offensive rebounding (6^th), total rebounds (9^th), and blocks (10^th).

David Michaels - On the floor

Throughout his senior year, Michaels was honored as a four-time NWC Player of the Week, and on Jan. 31 became the first men’s basketball player in Whitman history to be named to the D3hoops.com National Team of the Week — an honor awarded to the top 5 players, by position, in the nation.

Four times in 2011-12 Michaels broke the 30-point barrier, including a 31-point performance against Chapman University on Nov. 25, another 31-point game against Lewis & Clark on Jan. 27, and a career-high 40-point explosion (during which he scored an incredible 22 consecutive points) at George Fox. He also notched 30 points in a victory over Pacific Lutheran on Feb. 3.

In one of his most memorable performances, Michaels hit two 3-point shots and 3 free throws in a personal 9-0 run to lead Whitman to a road victory over archrival and ninth-ranked Whitworth University — Whitman's first victory in Spokane against the Pirates since 1985.

After Whitman finished 9-16 in his freshman year, and 12-13 in his sophomore campaign, Michaels was an integral part of a historic turnaround for the the Missionary men's basketball program.

 "David epitomizes hard work, investment, sacrifice and team play,” said head coach Eric Bridgeland. “Every single award he is honored with this postseason is a direct result of his hard work and dedication to his teammates and program. David, and his fellow seniors have definitely left their 'mark on the wall' at Whitman College."

During Michaels’ final two years, Whitman enjoyed the best back-to-back seasons in school history, including a pair of appearances in the NWC playoffs, and a first-ever run to the conference championship game.

Michaels, who hails from Valley High School in Las Vegas, Nev., will graduate in May with a degree in psychology.