Shipley point guard Sam Sessoms is Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week

The sophomore point guard has been a key factor in the success of the Shipley boys’ basketball squad (17-9 as of Monday), averaging 21 ppg, 6 rpg, 4 apg and 2 spg. He was Tournament MVP at Hazleton Cougar Classic, and has scored 30 points or more three times this season. He is currently shooting more than 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point territory and 90 percent from the free throw line. As a freshman, he received second team All-Main Line basketball honors last winter.

Q: You were the tournament MVP of the Hazleton Cougar Classic. Can you share with us your favorite memory of the tournament?

A: The memory I remember [most] is my teammate Kiyon Hardy hitting the game-winning layup in the championship game.

Q: What do you think has been the biggest key to your rebounding success this season?

A: The biggest key to my rebounding success is my aggressiveness. I am always looking to push the ball, so I just go and get the rebound.

Q: How do you feel you can best exercise your leadership as a sophomore point guard?

A: I can improve my leadership role by just doing everything to the best of my ability in the gym and school. Leading by example and doing everything the coach asks.

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: My most memorable game at Shipley so far was the [come-from-behind win] against Germantown Friends Feb. 5. It really meant a lot to us because we had a huge turnout that night from our school.

Q: Who are your favorite basketball players? Are there any players that you try to pattern your game after?

A: My favorite basketball players is Kobe Bryant and Russell Westbrook. I like the mindset they go into every game with and how hard they work on the court.

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 (Sam) was the one who started me off with basketball, I used to go to his games (men’s leagues, local area rec leagues) whenever I could watch him play. My biggest basketball mentors for high school has been my head coach [Shipley’s Phil D’Ambrosio], and Shawn Harvey. They both taught me how I could balance my game out more and both helped me develop in different ways.

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: North Carolina is my favorite college team, I don’t know what I want to major in college at this moment. I just want to end up getting paid for basketball at the end of my [college] career.

Fun facts – Sam Sessoms

Favorite TV show: Everybody Hates Chris.
Favorite movie: Deja Vu.
Favorite athlete: Russell Westbrook.
Favorite pre-game pump-up song: Slippin ft. Future, by Meek Mill.
Favorite team: Los Angeles Lakers.
Birth date: Dec. 24, 1999 in Philadelphia.

(To be selected as Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by his coach.)