THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 25, 1995 TAG: 9502250343
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 38 lines
Old Dominion forward Petey Sessoms received an invitation this week to the Portsmouth Invitation Tournament. But he won't allow himself to think about the opportunity to play before NBA scouts in his home town.
He's got other things on his mind.
``I came in here making it to the NCAA tournament,'' Sessoms said. ``I want to go out making it to the NCAAs.''
Tonight at 7:35 at the ODU field house will be the first of many rites of passage for Sessoms and Old Dominion's other two seniors, Mike Jones and David Harvey. It is the final home game for the three seniors.
Collectively, they have had successful careers for the Monarchs. Sessoms is guaranteed to be a three-time first-team all-Colonial Athletic Association player, and is challenging for the league Player of the Year.
He has a chance to finish third on the Monarchs' career scoring charts, and is already the school's leading 3-point shooter.
Jones is a two-year starter who has scored more than 1,000 points. Harvey, a role player much of his career, has stepped up capably to fill in for the injured Odell Hodge at center this season.
In four seasons they have won 73 games, an average of 18.2 per season if they don't win again. But if they do not win the CAA tournament next week in Richmond, the trio will have played in just one NCAA tournament game.
``If we want to make it, it's up to us to show the type of leadership we need,'' Jones said.
The Monarchs have already clinched the top seed in the conference tournament, but would win the regular-season title outright with a victory tonight. by CNB