THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 19, 1995 TAG: 9501190501
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
When Mike Jones was a sophomore in high school, an American assistant coach told his father Jones wasn't good enough to play in the Colonial Athletic Association.
That coach has moved on, but Jones remembers it whenever he comes to American. Wednesday, Jones was good enough to rattle off 29 points and help Old Dominion scrap for an 89-82 victory.
``It pushed me to work harder and better myself,'' said Jones, who is from nearby Largo, Md., and played before more than 20 family members and friends.
The Monarchs (8-8 overall, 3-0 CAA) have won three in a row and pushed into a three-way tie for first place with William and Mary and James Madison. ODU travels to William and Mary on Saturday and hosts the Dukes on Wednesday.
ODU was supposed to be the cream of the CAA this year, but American (2-13, 1-2) was unimpressed. Bender Arena has been a surprisingly troublesome place for the Monarchs the previous three seasons. Wednesday was no different.
The Eagles led, 77-71, with 4:56 remaining.
``We were basically just getting our butts kicked,'' said Jones, who fell two points shy of his career high. ``It happened in the first half when they came back on us, and it was happening again. We just had to step up and play defense and rebound.''
The Monarchs got both in the final four minutes.
Jones made 1 of 2 free throws and then a 3-pointer with 3:45 to play. E.J. Sherod forced a five-second call on American's Christian Ast, who finished with 20 points. ODU's Petey Sessoms tied the game at 77-77 on an offensive tip - the fourth Monarch shot of the possession - with 2:59 to play, and Duffy Samuels' steal and layup with 2:43 left gave the Monarchs a 79-77 lead they never relinquished.
Before American scored again with 47 seconds left, ODU had reeled off 13 unanswered points for an 84-77 lead. During that span, the Eagles missed six consecutive shots and two free throws and committed the two turnovers.
The Monarchs took care of business from the foul line, making 10 of 12 in the final 2 minutes. Jones scored nine of ODU's final 18 points.
``I think for the most part of the game, they outplayed us,'' Old Dominion coach Jeff Capel said. ``We got a couple breaks down the stretch.''
And a couple big stops, courtesy of Sessoms, who tied his career-high with four blocks, including a pair down the stretch.
``When it really counted, Old Dominion had a couple of seniors step up and play like you'd expect senior stars to play,'' American coach Chris Knoche said. ``It's a tough loss. We need to do something to kick down the door, because, God knows, we're right there.''
Capel was ready to kick down some doors at halftime. The Monarchs jumped to a 23-9 lead but then played what he called their worst defense of the season as American took a 47-44 lead into the locker room.
``I really let them have it,'' Capel said. ``I've never done that with this team, but I was really upset with the lack of defensive effort in the first half. I appealed to their heart and their pride.''
The Eagles made 11 3-pointers, the most against the Monarchs this season. They also enjoyed a 42-35 advantage on the boards. It was just the second ODU win in the eight games in which they have been outrebounded.
But ODU shot a season-high 58.2 percent from the field. Jones and Sessoms - who were a combined 4 of 25 from 3-point range in their last outing - made 7 of 15 treys. Sessoms had 19 points and a team-high eight rebounds, while center David Harvey scored a season-high 12 points to go with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Jones saw his string of consecutive free throws made halted at 29, four shy of the school record. by CNB