THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 30, 1994 TAG: 9410300201
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
Old Dominion University basketball fans got their first look at Jeff Capel's Monarchs on Saturday night at the field house. They had to like what they saw.
The White defeated the Blue, 78-67, in the annual pre-season intrasquad game. Capel, the new head coach, sat courtside and watched assistant coaches Mark Cline and Jim Corrigan handle the family feud.
There was the expected: The big guns, center Odell Hodge and forward Petey Sessoms, did the scoring. Hodge recorded a game-high 28 for the Blue. Sessoms racked up 26 for the White.
There was the questionable: Was Mario Mullen, the 6-foot-6 junior forward from Virginia Beach, ready to go after a back injury limited his contributions a year ago?
Mullen made his first four shots, finished with 12 points and snagged six rebounds. ``He's ready,'' Sessoms said.
And there was the unknown: The identity of this year's point guard, which most in the crowd of 2,242 wanted to find out.
Chances are the fans saw both of them.
Junior college transfer Duffy Samuels and freshman Brion Dunlap went head-to-head and even Capel had to rate it a draw.
Samuels, a 5-9 junior, scored seven points, had seven assists, two steals and one turnover in triggering the White victory. The 5-11 Dunlap had seven assists, two steals, no turnovers and didn't score but shot only three times.
``I would have to say we have two point guards,'' said Capel. ``I thought both played extremely well. I would say they will be splitting the job.''
Capel pointed out that an intrasquad game doesn't provide much opportunity to critique players. ``I saw some things I liked,'' he said. ``But the defense knows what the offense will do.''
Hodge, who averaged 19.4 points per game last year and was player of the year in the Colonial Athletic Association, missed his first four shots but wound up 12-for-19. He grabbed 10 rebounds, eight off the offensive glass.
Sessoms was 9-of-19 from the field, with three 3-pointers, and 5-for-5 at the foul line.
Afterwards, the 6-7 senior said he felt the Monarchs have a chance to be very good.
``We still have a way to go, but when I came in as a freshman we were an NCAA (tournament) team,'' Sessoms said. ``And I think we can be one again.
And Sessoms, a two-time all-CAA player, said that's the primary goal he has this season.
``I don't set any kind of personal goal, such as scoring,'' he said. ``If I work hard, I'll get my points. But I do want to handle the ball more this year and do more driving to the basket. As a senior, I want to be a team leader and maybe a role model for the younger guys.
``And I just want this team to go to the NCAA tournament.''
NOTES: Jason Nickerson, a freshman from Kempsville, missed the game due to a broken bone in his right foot. . . . Joe Bunn, who has to sit out this season after transferring from North Carolina A&T, showed his potential with 15 points in only 18 minutes of action. . . . Both squads connected on seven 3-pointers, serving up 36 attempts. Swingman Mark Johnson made 5-of-10 for the Blue. . . . Hodge had three blocked shots. . . . Sessoms had 18 first-half points as the White team, starting with a 10-0 edge, led all the way. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
D. KEVIN ELLIOTT/Staff
Mark Johnson is trapped along the baseline by E.J. Sherod and
Derrick Parker in the ODU Blue-White game Saturday night.
by CNB