THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 14, 1995 TAG: 9510140396
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Jeff Capel isn't throwing up caution signs every time someone raves about Old Dominion's basketball team. The Monarchs' coach admits his goal is to at least reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.
But he'll be trying to get there with a bevy of players who were 16 not so long ago.
The Monarchs join the rest of the college basketball world in opening practice Sunday. ODU will get an early start, beginning at 12:01 a.m. during a ``Midnight Madness'' celebration at the ODU fieldhouse. The festivities, free to the public, begin at 10 tonight with a carnival-like event that will be capped off with the introduction of the ODU men's and women's teams. Both teams will scrimmage for about 10 minutes.
Capel's team, with a roster including 13 scholarship players and two walk-ons, has high expectations. But of the 15 players, nine did not play for ODU last season and a 10th, Odell Hodge, was lost for the season in the fourth game.
``That's scary,'' Capel said.
The Monarchs could be scary to many in the Colonial Athletic Association. Two starters - forward Mario Mullen and point guard Brion Dunlap - return along with the 6-foot-9 Hodge, the league's Player of the Year in 1993-94. Add sophomore forward Joe Bunn, who followed Capel from North Carolina A&T and is expected to start, and six freshmen from a heralded recruiting class regarded as one of ODU's best ever, and the ingredients are there for a good season.
``We've gotta be patient with these kids,'' Capel said. ``There's obviously talent - more talent than last year - but they are young.''
Capel said the coaches have a lot of teaching to do in the 5 1/2 weeks before they open against Duke on Thanksgiving night in the Great Alaskan Shootout. He said at times they will look like the heralded recruits they are, and ``there will be days when they look like 18- and 19-year-old freshmen.''
BASSETTE READY: One of those heralded freshmen is Reggie Bassette, a 6-9 forward-center from Highland Springs High in suburban Richmond. Bassette said he loves college life so far and the independence it offers. But a measure of that independence ends tomorrow with the start of practice.
``I can't wait to start,'' Bassette said. ``I'm going to show my stuff in practice, I'm tired of this free-lance ball.''
The Monarchs have been playing pickup games since school started. Bassette and the other five freshmen have impressed the veterans.
``The first couple of weeks here they struggled a little bit, but now they look like they're ready to play college ball,'' Hodge said.
Said Bunn: ``Bassette does things every day you marvel at.''
NO BENCH WARMING: Bunn is also eager to play after sitting on the bench during games last season as a transfer.
``It was hard, especially on game day,'' Bunn said. ``That was probably the toughest experience I've had in basketball so far. But I did what I had to do, lifted weights and stayed in shape. Nobody is more excited about the start of practice than me.''
NO DENNIS RODMAN: Mullen, who sported a tattoo of a panther on one bicep last season, has added three more tattoos. He has Leo the lion, his astrological sign, on the other bicep, his initials on his chest and a cross with the initials of his father - who died several years ago - on his back.
``That's enough,'' Mullen said when asked if he would continue adding to his tattoo collection.
TICKET UPDATE: ODU is taking single-game ticket orders for men's and women's games. Single-game tickets for the men are $10 and $8 for adults, $8 and $6 for youth, senior citizens and military. Single-game tickets for women's games are $5 for adults, $3 for youth, senior citizens and military. For more information call ODU's athletic ticket office at 683-4444. by CNB