Collegiate Times

COLUMBUS, OHIO – He held his head in a towel for the last minute. He didn’t hit a 3-pointer during the entire game. But A.D. Vassallo can play another day.

Vassallo and the other players returning next season can build on the experience of playing in the NCAA Tournament. Five players will never step onto a court as a college athlete again. Five players will never dawn the orange and maroon or hear their names called over the loud speaker. It’s the “Big Dance”, and only 1 team out of 65 gets to cut down the nets.

The roller-coaster season is over. There will be another one next year, but that takes a backseat right now. Five careers are over. Zabian Dowdell, Jamon Gordon, Coleman Collins, Markus Sailes and Chris Tucker all have played their last game in a Hokie uniform. Each player has left a legacy in some fashion, and as a graduating senior, I have a fond memory of each of the fellow seniors.

Chris Tucker was the kind of guy that practiced hard for little to no time on the court. As a walk-on, he wore a uniform during the games, but that was about as close as he got to seeing action in games for his first two seasons. As the years progressed, he got some playing time.

This year by far was Tucker’s year, but no shot was bigger in his career than the 3-pointer against North Carolina at home. It was his signature moment, enough to garner a Facebook group devoted to “The Shot”. In the next home game against Maryland, he checked in mid-way through the first half, when Terrapins coach Gary Williams pointed to the senior from Botetourt County yelling, “Shooter! Shooter!”

Markus Sailes’ Tech career finally came to an end after five years in the program. He went from a starter to a bench player to a sixth man. You never saw Sailes without a smile on his face, though, even if he was on the bench cheering his team on. He knew his role as he played this senior season, he didn’t play on offense at the end of games, but he left his mark.

During his final game at home against Clemson, Sailes started his first game of the ACC season. It may seem minute, but he didn’t miss a single free throw in the game, which helped the Hokies stay in it right until the end. Every time he went to the line after a foul, students and fans cringed, but the head-band wearing senior from Richmond knocked the shots down.

Coleman Collins had an up-and-down season this year. Most Tech fans waited for the Stone Mountain, Ga. native to finally come around this season. He made a few plays down the stretch, but he was not the same player he was during his freshman and sophomore campaigns.

It seems crazy, but the most memorable moment I remember was Coleman’s buzzer-beating tip-in against Rutgers during his freshman year. The Hokies needed the win to advance to the Big East tournament, and he made the play.

Zabian Dowdell led the team in scoring this season. Not bad for a guy who originally was going to play for South Florida coming out of high school. His game matured over his four seasons with the Hokies, culminating with an All-ACC selection at the end of his senior year.

Like Collins, Dowdell’s biggest play of his career wasn’t even in his final two seasons, but the 3-point shot he hit during the 65-63 win against Duke in 2005. It put the Hokies on top with just seconds left in the game, which led to students and fans rushing the court.

Jamon Gordon truly was the heart and soul of the Hokie team. His intensity kept the Hokies in ballgames over the past four seasons. The loveable character earned the respect of the ACC, awarding him with Defensive Player of the Year honors. Gordon’s quick skills on defense made him a threat on both ends of the court.

Gordon never was the one to take the shot, but to find the open man for a shot. Ball distribution was his game, like when he hit a wide-opened Deron Washington for “The Dunk” against Boston College. But when he took shots, they were smart shots. No shot he took sticks in my mind more than the falling shot he nailed against Duke in Cameron this season.

All five of the seniors played major roles this season. Like most college athletes, their names and images will fade in time. Their jersey numbers will be worn by future players and their numbers will be passed by upcoming Hokies.

It will be tough next season to not see Zabian, Jamon or Coleman on the court. Nigel Munson, Lewis Witcher and Vassallo have some pretty big shoes to fill next season.

Hold your head up, A.D. You’ve played with some of the best players to ever wear the Hokie uniform.