He only averaged three points a game this year for the NIU basketball team, but Al Sewasciuk will play on the Polish national team.

A 6-foot-4 guard, Sewasciuk hails from Argo High School in Summit, where he averaged 21 points as a senior and shot 41 percent from the three-point line.

Sewasciuk’s agent Jim Clibinoff – who Sewasciuk heard about from former NIU assistant coach Andy Greer – said his client will get a chance to show off more of his game than just shooting.

“Colleges are more about winning games and not showcasing their talents,” Clibinoff said.

After Sewasciuk finishes competing with the Polish national team, he said, he expects to play in a professional league in Poland. And he may have some familiar company.

“I’m pretty much about 80 percent sure that Perry [Smith] and Smalls [Marcus Smallwood] will be playing on the same team in Poland,” Sewasciuk said. “I probably won’t play on their team, but I’ll be in the same league. It’s the highest league in Poland.”

Non-conference schedule up

The Huskies lost some notable teams from last year’s schedule, but added the likes of DePaul and Kansas State, among others.

Possibly the biggest key to this year’s schedule is that DePaul and Kansas State are two-year contracts. They will come to the Convocation Center next season.

NIU coach Rob Judson is also happy his team will play only Division I teams.

“Last season, we played in the Hawaii tournament, which is an exempt event, and that kept us from a schedule filled with Division I teams,” Judson said. “This year we were able to return to an all-Division I schedule and add some high-profile opponents.”

Omitted from last year’s schedule are UIC, Notre Dame and Iowa – from the Hawkeye four-team tournament.

This year, the Huskies play in the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islander Classic with St. Bonaventure, Alcorn State and the hosts.

Judson also looks forward to a Feb. 19 ESPN Bracket Buster Game, which will be determined during the season.

“We play four in-state rivals in Loyola, DePaul, Bradley and Eastern Illinois,” Judson said. “Then we bring in an up-and-coming team in Southwest Missouri State, which will be a good matchup.”