Hokie ClubFormer Virginia Tech men’s basketball player A.D. Vassallo will compete in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament this week in Portsmouth Va.
Considered the finest post-season all-star tournament, the PIT annually attracts the top seniors in the nation. This year’s tournament features players such as Goran Suton of Michigan State, Alex Ruoff of West Virginia, Taylor Griffin of Oklahoma, Levance Fields of Pittsburgh and Alfred Aboya of UCLA. Vassallo is one of seven ACC players in the tournament, along with K. C. Rivers of Clemson, Tyrese Rice of Boston College, Courtney Fells and Ben McCauley of NC State and Alade Aminu and Lewis Clinch of Georgia Tech.
Vassallo will play for the Portsmouth Partnership team. Joining him on that squad will be Demarre Carroll of Missouri, Geoff McDermott of Providence, Alonzo Gee of Alabama, Robert Vaden of UAB, Josh Akognon of Cal State Fullerton, John Bryant of Santa Clara and Aaron Jackson of Duquesne. Vassallo and Jackson are well familiar, as the two players hooked up in one of the most memorable games in Cassell Coliseum history this season. Virginia Tech defeated the Dukes, 116-108, in double overtime in the first round of the NIT. Vassallo scored a career-high 33 points in the game and Jackson scored a opponent, Cassell-record 46 points in the game.
Vassallo completed his Virginia Tech career fifth in career scoring, with 1,822 points. He also set a new school mark for made three-point field goals, with 267. He was a third team All-ACC selection as a senior and was named to the NABC All-District second team.
Portsmouth Partnership will open play on Wednesday night against Tidewater Sealants at 9 p.m. Tidewater Sealants are led by Aboya, Ruoff and Clinch. All games will be played at Churchland High School in Portsmouth, Va., and the tournament will run through Saturday.
Pat Williams, Senior Vice President of the Orlando Magic, will be the featured speaker at the 2009 Celebrity Luncheon. The luncheon will be April 10, 2009 at 11:45 am, Renaissance Hotel, Portsmouth.