Shipley point guard Sam Sessoms is Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week
The junior point guard has been a prolific all-around performer in the Gators’ first six contests, averaging 26 points, seven rebounds and five assists per game. As of Dec. 13, he has scored 926 career points for Shipley. Last winter, as a sophomore point guard, Sessoms was a first team All-Friends’ Schools League selection, and displayed a wide range of skills, averaging 20 ppg, 6 rpg, 4 apg and 2 spg.
Q: What do you think has been the key to your prolific scoring so far this season?
A: I think they key to my scoring this year has been the new pace we play with. Everything is get it and go, up-tempo offense. The speed we play at is the biggest reason for my scoring.
Q: Shipley won 15 games two years ago, 17 games last year. What is the team’s goal for this season?
A: The team goal this year is to reach 18 or more wins. All we want to do is improve year after year, we do not want to take any steps backwards.
Q: How do you see your leadership role on the Shipley team; and how do you feel you can best exercise that leadership?
A: My leadership role on the team is to be the vocal leader and keep everyone on top of their game, I need to make sure everyone is always working their hardest. I can exercise my leadership by pushing everyone to give it their all at practice. At practice, I go at it each and every one of them hard, no matter if it’s a starter or the last player on the bench. By doing this I am trying to bring out the energy and hard work in practice.
Q: What do you think is the strongest part of your game? What are you most working on currently in your game?
A: The strongest part of my game is being able to break down my defender and get into the paint. Once I am inside the paint, I am good at finishing or kicking it to an open defender. I am currently working on my pull up jump-shot game, defenders think I am going to attack so they back up. If my pull up game gets crazy good then they would not know what to do.
Q: What, to you, has been the biggest key to your rebounding success this season?
A: The key to my rebounding success has been me just knowing where the ball is going to go. I do a good job at following the ball and being aggressive to get it.
Q: What (to you) has been the most memorable game of your Shipley basketball career so far? Can you share with us your most vivid memory of it?
A: The most memorable game of my Shipley career has to be [last winter] against Hazleton in the championship game of the Hazleton Holiday Classic. I played good, had 21 points I think. The game came down to one possession. We had drawn up a play for my guy Arvelle Jones, Kiyon Hardy was the passer. I was just in the corner opposite of ball watching this happen. As the play started, there was a bit of confusion, Arvelle was being played hard and Kiyon could not get the ball to him. Kiyon then breaks down his defender and then goes up and under some dude that was about 6-6. The buzzer went off and the lay up went in. After that, our crowd and team just ran, super excited, and started tackling each other. It was a great moment for our team and it took us to another level after that. I chose this moment because I had the honor to just watch it all go down, I had the best angle and the lay up was really impressive. It was a great moment.
Q: You wear No. 3 for Shipley – is there a reason you chose that number – does it carry any special significance to you?
A: There isn’t any special reason, I had No. 3 last year and I played well. So I figured I should wear it again.
Q: Who are your favorite basketball players? Are there any players that you try to pattern your game after?
A: My favorite basketball players have to be Kobe Bryant and Russell Westbrook. Although them two are my favorite players, I try to pattern my game after CP3. He is the only true point guard the game has left. He has the ability to score a ton of points, but he sacrifices for the team and gets everyone involves. I feel like every time I watch him, he knows when to be selfish and when not to. That’s why I pattern my game after him.
Q: What sparked your original interest in basketball? Who have been your biggest basketball mentors, and what was the important thing each of them taught you?
A: My dad, Samuel Sessoms Sr., sparked my interest in basketball. Every since I was young he always had me around basketball and I fell in love with the game. My biggest mentors have been my dad, Coach Phil [D’Ambrosio], and Shawn Harvey Sr. Out of those three, Coach Phil was the only one to work me out a numerous amount of times and I am thankful for that. But aside from that, the three of them teach me how to become a better person and ultimately that would help me become a better player.
Q: What (to you) has been the highlight of your basketball career outside of Shipley?
A: The highlight of my basketball career outside of shipley has to be the my AAU season with Team Final. I had the honor to play with very talented wings; Justin Anderson, Matthew Cotton, Mikeal Jones and Kharon Randolph. Also, Team Final forced me to be a leader and to be a true point guard, they put me in a stage to be successful and gave me a opportunity. I’m truly grateful for that.
Q: You want to play basketball in college. What are your favorite colleges at present? What do you think you’d like to major in at college? Is there a career path that particularly interests you at the present time?
A: My favorite college team to watch is UNC, that’s been my family team since I was young. I like Saint Joseph’s University and Drexel as well. The speed they both play with is what attracts me.
Q: What extracurricular activities are you involved in at Shipley other than basketball? What sparked your interest in these activities?
A: I am involved in Film Club, I ran cross-country this fall as well. What sparked my interest in Film Club was my friends mainly. We all just wanted to try something new and we chose that. Cross country was chosen because I wanted to get in good shape before the [basketball] season – it helped a lot.
Fun facts – Sam Sessoms
Favorite book: Adventure of Huckleberry Finn.
Favorite TV show: Impractical Jokers.
Favorite movie: Coach Carter.
Favorite athlete: Russel Westbrook.
Favorite pre-game pump-up song: Jessie J- Who you are.
Favorite team: OKC Thunder.
Person I most admire: “My dad, he’s the hardest worker I know and the definition of a MAN. He does everything he need to do to take care of his family, and always puts his family first.”
Favorite color: Sky blue.
Birth date: Dec. 24, 1999 in Philadelphia.
To view a photo gallery of the Main Line Boys Athletes of the Week from 2013 to date click here
(To be selected as Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by his coach.)
