By Bill Hanefeld Jr., sports information director
March 15, 2006
STERLING, Va. -- D3hoops.com has announced the fifth annual D3hoops.com All-Region team for Division III basketball. Bluffton University senior SCOTT BERGMAN (Elmore/Woodmore) was honored as a Second team All-Region selection.
Players were nominated by the Sports Information Directors at the various schools, who were contacted several times as the season wound down to remind them to make their players eligible. A total of 599 players were nominated nationwide.
The ballot was then made available to SIDs, who voted for 10 players in their region. SIDs voted for six frontcourt players and four backcourt players and the top vote-getters at each position were named to the All-Region team.
"We are thankful to the Sports Information Directors across Division III who took the time to nominate and vote to provide broader recognition to these worthy student-athletes," said D3hoops.com publisher Pat Coleman. "Their continued help and participation is integral to the All-Region team and everything else we do."
A regional Player of the Year and Coach of the Year were selected in each region for the first time, the Player of the Year as the top vote-getter in each region and the Coach of the Year in consultation with regional members.
Bergman again led the HCAC with 607 points, including 335 in conference play which gives him two of the top three scoring season in HCAC history behind only Chaz Smoot's (Anderson University) 355 points in 1998-99. He averaged 23.9 points per game in conference contests which was nearly six points higher than anyone else in the HCAC. Bergman put up 22.5 points per game for the season and finished his career as the third-most prolific scorer in Bluffton University history, behind only Pete DuMonte (2,416) and Clair Recker (1,667), with 1,660 points. Bergman scorched the nets for 30 or more points on seven occasions this season and scored a season-high 43 points against Franklin College on Fill Founders night.
When asked to describe Bergman's play on the court, Hanover College head coach Mike Beitzel said, "He is the most complete player in the HCAC; great scorer, passer and rebounder. Scott is the type of player who makes everyone else on the team better."
In addition to his scoring prowess, Bergman topped the conference with 104 assists (3.85 apg), 81 made 3-point field goals, including an HCAC best 43 in conference contests and an .875 free throw shooting percentage during conference matchups. He finished seventh in the conference with 6.2 rebounds per game and fourth with 1.70 steals per game. Bergman became the fourth Bluffton University men's basketball player to finish his career with 1,000 points and 250 assists as he dished out 265 assists during his four years as a Beaver.
Bluffton University finished the 2005-06 season one victory short of the school record for wins set in 1984-85 as the Beavers competed in the semifinals of the Heartland Conference tournament for the second consecutive season in finishing 17-10, 6-8 HCAC. After knocking off defending tournament champion Hanover in the first round, the Franklin College Grizzlies ended the Beavers' season, 86-66, at Transylvania in the HCAC semifinals.
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