THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 4, 1995 TAG: 9506040147
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
Old Dominion basketball coach Jeff Capel said last week upon signing a contract extension through the 1999-2000 season that he looks forward to being around to open the Monarchs' new convocation center.
He'll need another contract extension.
``The earliest we could be bouncing basketballs is the year 2000,'' ODU president James Koch said. ``The 2000-2001 basketball season, if things go well, we'd be in the new facility.''
Koch said ODU is looking to build a first-class arena that seats about 10,000, suitable for graduation ceremonies and major concerts as well as basketball. The on-campus facility is part of a planned major commercial development to the east of campus across Hampton Boulevard.
``It has to be approved by a series of state agencies,'' Koch said. ``They will look at the aesthetics and other things. . . . We should be through the review process by about the first of January. At that point we'll be ready to begin land acquisition.''
Koch said the cost of the convocation center alone could approach $50 million, much of which will be raised through student fees.
ODU commissioned a study on the feasibility of gutting the ODU field house and adding seats - similar to the expansion East Carolina did to Minges Coliseum. The study determined that there would not be significant savings and that it would create a problem with lost space used for physical education classes and intramurals.
``We're not going to be asking the commonwealth for funds,'' Koch said. ``We've had a stream of student fees we've been collecting for years. We're hoping there's an angel or two out there who would like their names attached to the building.''
REALITY CHECK: ODU fans who drew solace from Capel's two-year contract extension and decision to turn down an offer to be a Detroit Pistons assistant, take note: In December 1993, Oliver Purnell signed a three-year contract extension, valid through March 1998. Four months later, he bolted for Dayton.
MORRISON STILL WAITING: Virginia Tech linebacker Tony Morrison's status with the Hokies is still up in the air, according to his father, Jim.
Tony Morrison, a rising sophomore from Chesapeake's Indian River High School, was penciled in as a starting inside linebacker. But because of his involvement in an unspecified incident, he is not enrolled for the fall semester and is awaiting word on an appeal that will determine whether he is allowed to return to school.
Tech coach Frank Beamer said Morrison is in fine standing academically, but he would not comment further on the matter.
``That's between the university and Tony,'' Beamer said.
WILKERSON MOVING ON: Jarrell Wilkerson is no longer with Hampton University's basketball program. Wilkerson, a longtime assistant at Norfolk State who was also a high school head coach at Smithfield and Lake Taylor, spent one season at Hampton.
Zeke Avery, the coach who brought him to Hampton, was replaced this spring by Byron Samuels. Wilkerson said his own departure was by mutual agreement.
``There's no hard feelings,'' Wilkerson said. ``The administration wanted me to be on the staff, but it reached the point where coach Samuels wanted to bring in his own staff.''
Samuels declined comment.
Wilkerson, who lives in Virginia Beach, has the option of staying at Hampton to run the intramural program and teach physical education. But he said he is also pursuing other coaching jobs, including the Booker T. Washington boys opening and possibly an assistant's position at Elizabeth City State.
RECRUITING PATTER: Capel on 6-foot-6 small forward Mark Poag, who signed last month as the last of six players in ODU's mother-lode recruiting class: ``Mark Poag is a good shooter and an excellent athlete. In this day and time, you wouldn't think a kid would get lost, with all the high-tech recruiting services. But he's a classic case of a kid who slipped through.''
Poag moved to Knoxville, Tenn., from Corpus Christi, Texas, midway through his junior year and was somewhat lost in the recruiting shuffle.
Several recruiting analysts said this week that they have not yet completed their rating of college classes. But Bob Gibbons, an analyst from Lenoir, N.C., said ODU's ``is the best in the Colonial Athletic Association and one of the top 25 in the nation.''
Gibbons hosted a 32-team AAU tournament last weekend at the University of North Carolina's Smith Center and Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium. He said ODU recruit Reggie Bassette of Richmond played well.
``He's recovered his form from prior to his (knee) injury,'' Gibbons said. ``He was one of the most impressive big men in the event.''
Jason Capel made the all-tournament team playing for Boo Williams, winners of the 16-and-under championship. MEMO: Staff writer Harry Minium contributed to this report. by CNB