THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 10, 1994 TAG: 9412100356
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Analysis
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines
Odell Hodge's torn anterior cruciate ligament does not necessarily mean Old Dominion's basketball season is torn asunder. But clearly when the best player in the league is lost, an expectations adjustment is in order.
Given ODU's difficult schedule, even with Hodge it was possible the Monarchs could have been better while finishing with a worse record than last season's 21-10. Now, ODU wil have to play at an emotional peak nightly to compete with teams such as Wyoming tonight, St. Joseph's, James Madison and UNC Wilmington, and to not get blown out by nationally ranked North Carolina and Arizona State.
And it will need players who have been virtual wallflowers their entire careers to get on the dance floor.
``We've got to keep that intensity up,'' ODU forward Petey Sessoms said. ``North Carolina's going to come in here thinking they're going to blow us out of the gym. We've just got to keep playing hard. We play hard on defense and execute on offense, and we'll be able to play with anybody on our schedule.''
Playing hard every game is almost impossible, as ODU has already demonstrated.
Monday night, the Monarchs played a fabulous, emotionally charged game in an overtime loss at Tulane - the best team in the Metro Conference.
``A lot of times when your best player goes down, guys step up their level of play,'' Tulane coach Perry Clark said. ``That's what we saw tonight.''
Three nights later, fans at Scope saw how ordinary ODU can be if it isn't playing with passion. The Monarchs flailed around, struggling to beat New Hampshire of the weak North Atlantic Conference. There aren't many New Hampshire-like teams left on ODU's schedule.
``It really is hard to play at that emotional level every night, but we have to try,'' sophomore guard E.J. Sherod said. ``The biggest thing for us is to play harder than our opponents.''
And to get contributions like Sherod provided Thursday, when he came off the bench to register career highs in points (14) and rebounds (eight). Sherod compensated for an off night by senior Mike Jones, who scored two points three days after scoring 31. It was Jones' lowest point production since his sophomore season.
Jones and Sessoms, another senior, have to play well with Hodge out. So far, Sessoms has shown he's capable of carrying the team, with averages of 25.3 points and 10 rebounds a game. Jones' game can be as streaky as his shooting.
When Sessoms and Jones aren't sinking their outside shots, ODU is going to be sunk.
``The margin for error has definitely changed,'' coach Jeff Capel said.
Even when Sessoms and Jones are hitting from outside, ODU will need an inside punch - more than it's getting right now. Forward Mario Mullen is playing better all the time coming off of last season, which was a loss because of back surgery, but needs to be more consistent.
Senior David Harvey and junior Derrick Parker have to answer a challenge with Hodge out. Neither has been an impact player, but how they play the rest of the season will impact ODU's chances in the Colonial Athletic Association.
``Derrick Parker or David Harvey are going to have to play more and raise their game to another level,'' Capel said. ``They've got to seize the opportunity and make the most of it.''
Parker needs to seize some confidence and aggressiveness. He's rarely displayed either. Parker has never played more than 18 minutes in a game, and has averaged just 9.6 minutes per game in his career. He's going to get more time now, and it's time for him to live up to the promise he had as an incoming freshman two years ago.
Harvey is more beefy and a better rebounder than Parker but not much of a threat offensively. And if he doesn't improve his free-throw shooting (5 of 21 this year), opponents may view fouling Harvey as beneficial as forcing a turnover.
The Monarchs don't need either to score a lot, but Harvey and Parker need to keep opposing post players from dominating games, play good defense, rebound and avoid foul trouble.
Hodge could usually be counted on for all that plus scoring. Without him, the Monarchs will not approach being a top-25 team, which is where one preseason magazine picked them. But ODU could still sneak up and win the CAA.
The league does not appear to be strong. CAA teams are 17-20, and only Old Dominion and James Madison have played more than one team that could be termed a quality opponent.
The Dukes have to be the favorite to win the league title that ODU was once expected to claim. But the Monarchs' season didn't end last Saturday when Hodge went down in Illinois. And it could still end in the NCAA tournament. ILLUSTRATION: Color staff photo by Paul Aiken
Injured senior Odell Hodge will play the role of cheerleader for the
rest of ODU's season after tearing a ligament in his knee.
by CNB