THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, January 2, 1996 TAG: 9601020144
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
Skipper Youngblood and Reggie Bassette left for California as seldom-used freshmen reserves. They return as key parts of Old Dominion's rotation.
``We've decided that we've got to play Youngblood and Bassette,'' coach Jeff Capel said. ``We've got to get them ready for the conference.''
Look for one of the big, athletic freshmen on the floor at all times, Capel said.
That was the case Thursday night in ODU's 69-62 win over Cal-Sacramento. Youngblood, starting in place of Joe Bunn, played 19 minutes, eight more than he'd been averaging. Bassette played 20 minutes, 11 more than his average.
``We've got to get them some time. We don't feel comfortable playing them together, so we just have to split them up,'' Capel said. ``We're going to platoon them. We're going to play Skipper with Odell (Hodge), and Reggie with Joe (Bunn).''
The 6-foot-9 Bassette and the 6-8 Youngblood give ODU a dimension that Hodge and Bunn don't provide, Capel said. They are quick off their feet, and run the court better than the veterans.
``They can do things that Joe and Odell can't do, and that's not a knock on Joe and Odell,'' Capel said. ``What they do they do well, but they can't do some of the things that Skipper and Reggie can do.
``(Thursday) was the first time we've gotten, you know, a dunk.''
Bassette had a career-high nine points and seven rebounds Thursday. Youngblood had a career-high six points, along with five rebounds and two blocked shots. Each had their moments on the offensive glass, collecting seven offensive rebounds between them. And Bassette had the play of the night, sprinting downcourt to get a pass from E.J. Sherod for a soaring slam dunk.
``There's no question they are more athletic than me and Joe Bunn,'' Hodge said. ``They run the floor real well, do the spectacular dunks, and get it off the glass. What me and Joe bring is strictly power.''
Inserting Youngblood into the starting lineup will serve the dual purpose of bolstering the bench scoring, Capel hopes, because Bunn will come off the bench. The Monarchs, who had just seven bench points Wednesday, had 24 Thursday.
It also allows Capel to pair his inside scorers - Hodge and Bunn - with his shot blockers and rebounders, Youngblood and Bassette.
``Skipper and I know the pressure is not on us to score,'' Bassette said.''
Hodge, who was in foul trouble and played just 18 minutes Thursday, said the new combinations should make ODU a better team.
``I think we've got a great mix here with the four of us,'' he said. by CNB