AFA notes: Schafer growing up fast

In less than one season, freshman Sammy Schafer has morphed from project to starter.

And during the first 9 minutes of the second halfof Air Force's 71-50 loss to BYU Tuesday, the 6-foot-10 center seemed to come of age. In helping the Falcons stay close with the Cougars, Schafer scored 11 of his career-high 12 points in that stretch.

"I was a little more aggressive," Schafer said. "It's just me feeling more comfortable. Every game I try to get more comfortable when I'm out there.""I thought he played well," Air Force coach Jeff Reynolds said of Schafer. "He made some incredible catches. He's still very weak and gets winded, and I think that's where he had some problems on the defensive end."

Washington sits

Sophomore guard Evan Washington didn't start for just the second time in 51 career games, and played a career-low 5 minutes.

"He probably will play more than 5 minutes in the next game," Reynolds said. "They went zone, and he hadn't been shooting the ball well," coach Jeff Reynolds said. "Maybe I should've played him because the other guys didn't shoot it well either."

Johnson decision looming

Reynolds said he needs to make a decision on whether senior guard Anwar Johnson (injured right foot) will continue to play in games without practicing or whether he will sit out for 10 days to two weeks.