Gonzaga basketball players arrested in Cheney

Saturday, February 10th 2007, 3:12 pm

By: News On 6

CHENEY, Wash. (AP) _ Gonzaga basketball players Josh Heytvelt and Theo Davis were arrested Friday night after police found marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms in their car during a traffic stop, an officer said.

Heytvelt, a starting forward and one of the team's top scorers, and Davis, an injured freshman, were booked into Spokane County Jail for investigation of drug possession and remained there Saturday. The amount of marijuana was only enough for a misdemeanor, but possession of mushrooms is a felony, Cheney Police Cmdr. Rick Campbell.

Police pulled the car over because its tail lights were not working, Campbell said. Officers smelled marijuana and searched the car, and the players were cooperative, he said.

``It was close to midnight. They needed to have their lights on,'' Campbell said.

Heytvelt, 20, of Clarkston, is averaging 15.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game as a 6-foot-11 sophomore. He trails only Derek Raivio, at 18.4 points, in scoring for the Bulldogs.

Davis, 21, is red-shirting as a freshman after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder to repair ligament damage last October. He is from Brampton, Ontario, but played most of his high school ball at Luthern Christian Academy in Philadelphia.

Gonzaga is unranked and having a sub-par year at 17-8 overall. The Bulldogs are tied with Santa Clara at the top of the West Coast Conference at 7-2 and were scheduled to play Saint Mary's on Saturday night, the beginning of a tough stretch for Gonzaga. Santa Clara was due in town on Monday, followed by No. 8 Memphis on Saturday.

University spokesmen did not immediately return calls seeking comment. News reports indicated that Gonzaga officials planned to hold a news conference Saturday afternoon to discuss the arrests.