THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 14, 1995 TAG: 9504120148
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
THE 1995 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament set an all-time attendance record and officials already are planning for bigger and better things next year.
The 43rd annual PIT concluded Saturday at Churchland High School with Beach/Barton Ford downing Bill Lewis Chevrolet, 86-65, in the title game. The four-night tourney drew a paid attendance of 10,952. That's excluding 144 visiting NBA officials and scouts who make a contribution to the PIT for their courtside seats.
The previous attendance mark was two years ago when the paid audience was 10,704.
``I feel we met the challenge after a down year in 1994,'' said Mahlon Parker, chairman of the PIT. ``But we really won't be satisfied until we fill every seat in the gym.
``The product sells itself once we get the people out to see it. This tournament certainly was one of our finest with five of the games decided by three points or less. And our field included the most Division I players ever.''
Parker said there were game sponsors on three of the four nights and he hopes to secure four next year.
Dr. L. Pettis Patton, director of Leisure Services in Portsmouth (sponsor of the tournament), said the possibility exists for the PIT to be televised nationally again next year.
The tournament was televised by ESPN in 1993 and 1994. An offer was received this year from SunBelt Video to televise the '95 tourney but officials felt it came too late to be considered.
``In due time, we will examine proposals we have received,'' said Patton. ``We will look into both live coverage and tape-delay showings.''
Tournament MVP Eric Meek of Duke, who snagged 43 rebounds and had 44 points in Beach/Barton's three victories, and Old Dominion's Petey Sessoms, who was chosen by spectators as the outstanding sportsman and received the Tommy Fennell Memorial Award, garnered invitations to additional post-season play at Phoenix. Portsmouth-native Sessoms was the tournament's leading scorer with 72 points and was chosen for the all-consolation team.
Also given invitations to Phoenix were Michigan's Jimmy King, 7-foot Anthony Pelle of Fresno State, Corey Beck of Arkansas and Mark Davis of Texas Tech.
``I know there are others who still may go to Phoenix,'' said Yale Dolsey, co-chairman of the PIT player selection committee. ``There probably will be a few cancellations. Alabama's Jason Caffey is another from our tournament who probably will go to Phoenix.''
The 10-player All-PIT squad included four members of the championship team - Meek, Lucious Jackson of Syracuse, Antoine Gillespie of Texas-El Paso and Eric Burks of Charleston Southern. Also picked were Lewis Chevrolet's Pelle of Fresno State and George Banks of Texas El-Paso, K-Plus' Caffey and Jarvis Lang of UNC Charlotte and Hoechst Celanese' Mike Jones of Old Dominion and Michigan's King.
Here's a rundown on the achievements of the all-tourney players:
Meek - 43 rebounds, 44 points, 4 blocked shots and one broken nose (shattered in the semifinals Friday night).
Jackson - co-high scorer in championship game with 15 points and 37 points overall, 14 rebounds and seven assists.
Gillespie - 42 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 steals.
Burks - 32 points with 10 assists, 6 in title game.
Pelle - 9 blocked shots, 29 rebounds and 34 points.
Banks - 55 points, 25 rebounds and 7 blocked shots.
Caffey - 32 points and 35 rebounds.
Lang - 47 points, 28 rebounds.
Jones - 57 points, 14 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 steals.
King - 68 points, 4 assists, 6 steals.
The all-consolation team, in addition to the Naval Shipyard's Sessoms, included Providence's Troy Brown, Western Carolina's Frankie King, Texas' Terrance Rencher and Nicholls State's Reggie Jackson.
When Meek went to the airport to return to Durham, he dropped the large MVP trophy and broke it.
Tournament officials will repair the trophy and send it to him.
``I wanted to take this back with me,'' said Meek. ``I really regret dropping it.'' by CNB