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LOCATION: Norfolk, VA
CONFERENCE: Colonial Athletic Association
LAST SEASON: 25-9 (.735)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 11-5 (2nd)
STARTERS LOST/RETURNING: 4/1
NICKNAME: Monarchs
COLORS: Slate Blue & Silver
HOMECOURT: Norfolk Scope (10,239)
COACH: Jeff Capel (Fayetteville State '77)
record at school 98-61 (5 years)
career record 177-126 (10 years)
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ASSISTANTS: Jim Corrigan (Duke '80)
Kevin Sutton (James Madison '86)
James Johnson (Ferrum '93)
TEAM WINS: (last 5 years) 21-28-22-12-25
RPI (last 5 years) 83-145-91-174-90
1998-99 FINISH: Lost in NIT second round.
ESPN.com Clubhouse
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Jeff Capel is a basketball coach, a job that can be particularly time consuming and gut-wrenching. He is also a father, another job that can take some time and cause some worry when things aren't going well. Capel's fatherhood is in the forefront because his sons are prominent in the game he coaches. Eldest son Jeff played at Duke, younger son Jason is a sophomore at North Carolina. Last year, while ODU was enjoying a 25-victory season, both of Capel's sons were struggling with health problems. Jeff had a digestive disorder that shaved too much weight off his slender frame. Jason had mononucleosis and back trouble. Their situations made it very difficult to their father to enjoy his team's success. "For the 40 minutes of game time, I was able to put it aside," Capel said. "Immediately after and preceding, it's all that was on my mind. "I really didn't have a chance to appreciate the season until a couple of months after it was over, after they got OK. Jason's back surgery went OK, Jeff's got his problem under control. After that, I was able to reflect. I went back and watched all the games on tape."
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Blue Ribbon Analysis |
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BACKCOURT B BENCH/DEPTH B-
FRONTCOURT B INTANGIBLES B-
Old Dominion did indeed lose a lot with the departure of a quartet of four four-year regulars. It's absurd to think the Monarchs will be as good right away. But it is not absurd to think they'll be as good before too long maybe even as early as this season and that their fall won't be too far. Whenever your key players are people who have to significantly step up their production, there will be questions. Sometimes, they exceed expectations. Sometimes, they don't even meet them. ODU has three key players who will be asked to do more than they have in the past Andre McCullum, Clifton Jones and Skipper Youngblood and it won't be as effective if all three don't meet the task. They appear capable. But, until they've done it, who knows? McCullum has star potential. Jones hit a huge shot late last season in what turned out to be a close loss to North Carolina. Pressure won't bother him. Youngblood has the size and, with a year on the sideline, some added maturity. ODU's backcourt will be where the Monarchs are deepest, with four capable guards. But none appears capable of carrying a team, and if McCullum, Jones and Youngblood don't get it done, Michael Williams and Pierre Greene will have a much tougher job scoring from outside. The Monarchs lost some of the luster of their recruiting class when the two most touted prospects, Dimari Thompkins and Janover Weatherspoon, didn't get into school. Capel is taking the "can't miss what you never had approach" and believes his remaining recruits, particularly forwards Rasheed Wright and Ricardo Marsh, can provide immediate help. If Wright and Marsh can do what McCullum and Jones did a year ago and fill in where needed, ODU could be real good real quick. However far they fall the Monarchs don't figure to stay down long. Youngblood and Freddie Bryant are the team's only seniors. Like many of its CAA competitors particularly Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth this is a solid team that will be intact for at least two seasons. |
This year, Capel plans to enjoy the season as it happens, even if it doesn't figure to be as successful as last season. His sons are healthy. That will make it much easier for Capel to work with a completely new-look ODU squad. Gone are four regulars who were a major part of the scene their entire careers: Cal Bowdler, Mark Poag, Reggie Bassette and Mike Byers. "I'm excited, real excited," Capel said. "It's just as exciting as it was four years ago when we first started with that (Bowdler, etc.) class. It's not like completely starting over, but we are going to rely on our newcomers a lot. "We've got a very tough schedule early. If we can survive that, by mid-January we can be a good team. It is going to be fun helping this team develop." ODU needs three players to take big leaps forward. Skipper Youngblood, a 6-8, 245-pound senior, sat out last season as a redshirt. He averaged 3.6 points and 3.2 rebounds two years ago. Juniors Andre McCullum (9.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and Clifton Jones (5.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg) were dependable reserves who gave Capel much flexibility with his bench. This year, the 6-6 McCullum and 6-7 Jones won't be a luxury, they'll be necessities. Aron McMillian, a 6-9, 240-pound sophomore, becomes eligible in December after transferring from Wake Forest. He averaged 1.7 points and 1.4 rebounds there. "Certainly a big key to the success we'll have is the line of Skipper, Andre and Clifton," Capel said. "It's not a front line of Poag, Bowdler and Bassette, but I like the idea of those three. We'll have a lot of versatility. Once McMillian becomes eligible, he'll bring some more size to the table and that's something we don't have." Capel said sitting out did Youngblood a world of good. Instead of wasting his final year spelling Bassette and Bowdler, he can be a central figure. "If it makes any sense, not playing made Skipper a better player," Capel said. "I think he has a lot better understanding of the game than he did before. He and I have talked a lot since last season and some of the comments he's made have been very insightful. He used the time wisely." ODU's backcourt is experienced and deep. The starters will be 6-3 junior Michael Williams (7.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 2.6 apg) and 6-2 sophomore Pierre Greene (2.9 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 1.5 apg). Six-foot-three senior Freddie Bryant (3.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg) and 6-3 sophomore Lavar Hemphill (2.0 ppg, 0.5 rpg) will play. "I like Greene and Williams. I think that's going to be a very good backcourt for us," Capel said. "Hemphill has a chance to get some good minutes." ODU took a hit when recruits Dimari Thompkins and Janover Weatherspoon didn't qualify. The 6-9 Thompkins (Lake Gibson/Hargrave Military/Lakeland, Fla.) and 6-0 Weatherspoon (Ceasar Rodney/Camden, Del.) both figured in the Monarchs' plans. Weatherspoon is headed to prep school, so he can be recruited again this season. Thompkins has already had a prep year; he'll end up at a junior college. "We took a chance on those kids, it was the only way we could get them. Now it is deferred for another year," Capel said. "I'm sad those kids won't have an opportunity to be here. They really wanted to attend ODU. "As far as whether it will hurt our team, I don't think it will at all." Capel will have four other freshmen on his roster, and two appear headed for big roles right away. Richardo Marsh is a 6-7, 200-pounder from Hillsboro, N.C. (Orange High). He averaged 17.3 points and 9.2 rebounds. The 6-5 Rasheed Wright (South Guilford/Greensboro, N.C.) averaged 24.1 points and 6.5 rebounds as a prep senior. "My first class was real good and with time and good health, I think this one can be special, too," Capel said. "I think Marsh has a chance to be a real special player." The other freshmen are 6-8 Joe Principe (Rockhurst/Gladstone, Mo.), who spent last season at Air Force Prep, and 6-9 Charles Dunnington (Annacostia/Washington, D.C.). Principe averaged 7.2 points and 6.4 rebounds in prep school. Dunnington, a late signee, averaged 13.5 points and 10.2 rebounds his senior year. Dunnington, Capel said, may redshirt. "He's a tremendous athlete. He just has no idea how to play. We can take him and really teach him. You can't give a kid desire. He has that," Capel said. "Principe has good skills. I don't think he thinks he's a good player. We have to convince him of that. It may take longer than we like, but I think his upside is pretty good, too." Also on ODU's roster is Heath Burris, a 6-4 junior walk-on who averaged 0.4 points and 0.4 rebounds last season.
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