UConn won the NCAA tourney in April and Denver won the NBA Finals in June but there is still 1 more basketball champion to be crowned this summer. The Basketball Tournament (aka the TBT) kicks off on July 19th with 8 regions of 8 teams playing in Dayton/Louisville/Lubbock/Syracuse/West Virginia/Wichita 1/Wichita 2/Xavier. Each region will send 1 team to the quarterfinals, with the championship game taking place during the 1st week of August, and the winning team walking away with $1 million in prize money. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel will spend the weeks ahead interviewing as many TBT participants as possible. We continue our coverage with Sam Sessoms, who will be playing for the Happy Valley Hoopers after scoring more than 2300 PTS in college.
In 2019 as a freshman at Binghamton you scored 17.8 PPG and were named conference ROY: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I went to the perfect place: the PG spot was opening up and I had a coaching staff that believed in me and gave me the keys from a young age. It comes down to working hard but the upperclassmen around me were great.
In December of 2019 you set a school record with 40 PTS in a 5-PT win over BU: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were in the zone? I remember that we went into OT where I scored another 8-10 PTS. The game went back and forth so I was in attack mode the entire game: luckily I got some shots to fall.
In the 2022 Big 10 tourney as a player at Penn State you made the quarterfinals before losing to Purdue: could you have ever imagined at the time that 7’4” Zach Edey would become the national POY just 1 year later? Not really, to be honest. I did not see him play a lot before then because he was splitting time back then with Trevion Williams.
You were also named Academic All-Big 10 that year: how did you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? It was pretty easy: I went to a good high school that was pretty small but we sent a lot of kids to the Ivy League.
You spent your final year of college at Coppin State: what is the biggest difference between a Big 10 school and an HBCU? From a basketball standpoint there was a complete difference in resources/facilities. The Big 10 has a lot of money due to football so Coppin State (a mostly African-American school) could not compete with that. It took me back to my days at Binghamton: every time that we went into the gym we were the underdog.
Last year you were top-3 in the MEAC in PPG/APG/SPG: how do you balance all of the different aspects of your game? I had the ball in my hands the majority of the game. I just tried to hit some shots, make the right plays, and work hard defensively. As a 5th-year player I know how to watch film and play ball.
You finished your college career with 2362 PTS: what is the secret to being a great scorer? Any coach I ever had knows that I am just a hooper. Whenever I finish my workouts I like to go live and play every day.
What is the post-graduation plan? I am deciding between the G-League or going overseas. I have offers from both and am just staying patient.
The Eagles have a new coach this year: how do you think that Larry Stewart will do in Baltimore? I know Larry and think that he will do really well. He had a great career at Coppin State and will provide a new face/fresh start. I think that he will be able to recruit in cities like NYC/Philly and will do really well.
You are playing for the Happy Valley Hoopers in the TBT : how is the team looking so far, and what will you do with your share of the $1 million prize money if you win it all? I am excited to get back with the guys who I have played with before. We are all good players so I will do whatever the team needs me to do. We will put our pride to the side and just pitch in where needed. If I win it all then I will look out for my family in case they need anything, and just put the majority in the bank to give myself a little cushion for the future.