2012 NCAA Division III North Atlantic Conference Champions Improve Shooting with Noah Basketball
Castleton State College Men’s Basketball
Castleton State College men's basketball Coach Paul Culpo openly admits he had it all wrong in nearly 20 years of coaching. Culpo believed the most efficient way to play basketball was to value every possession and to work the ball around for a high-percentage shot.
But as he reviewed his roster last summer, he realized one thing—there was no way his team could play traditional basketball due to its lack of size and athletic ability.
So Culpo incorporated an open-court style of basketball that emphasized the three-point shot.
"Make no mistake, I underestimated the value of three-pointers and overvalued possessions," Culpo said. "It's basketball and the object is to make baskets. The more shots you take, the more chances you'll have to make baskets."
This coming from a coach who has worked with Steve Lappas, Bill Van Gundy and Bob Montana.
"You learn from all of them," Culpo said. "But you eventually evolve. Things change. People change. We needed a change."
So Culpo instructed his players that if they were open, they needed to shoot. His new philosophy was that if a player decided to pass instead, he just increased the chances of turning the ball over. A turnover meant no shot in the possession, and that was the worst thing his team could do.
"I used to believe that if you weren't as good as another team, you had to hold the ball and limit possessions," Culpo said. "But I've learned that style forces you to play a more perfect game because you have fewer possessions to score."
Culpo also admits that part of his offensive philosophy change included his desire to improve shooting as a skill.
"I was caught up on having athletes and not good enough shooters," Culpo said. "I grew sick and tired of seeing my teams not shoot well."
That's when Noah Basketball stepped in and helped raise Castleton's play to another level.
Castleton purchased the Noah in spring 2011. The team did not use Noah much during last summer except for clinics and camps. However, when the players returned in the fall, they downloaded the app and used it regularly.
"I believe the number-one thing about a shooting tool is - can it get the kids in the gym on their own free will?" Culpo said. "The Noah did that. The kids were intrigued by it. They wanted to get better, and they understood the instant feedback about arc and distance."
With the Noah in his gym, Culpo and his team set off to change Castleton basketball. It wasn't like Culpo's teams struggled in his first two years at the helm. In fact, his teams were pretty good compiling 17-10 and 15-12 records while losing in the NCAA Division III North Atlantic Conference (NAC) finals in his first season. He inherited a program that was 2-23 in 2008-09.
But call it a gut feeling or just plain old being a good coach, Culpo knew he needed to change.
"I'm a big fan of quotes," Culpo said. "Darwin said ‘It's not the strongest of species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.'
"Basketball is a different game than it was 15 years ago. It was Rick Pitino who forecasted that the three-pointer would change the game. I think the three-pointer has changed the game even more than Pitino thought," Culpo added. "With technology like Noah, you can't turn a blind eye and say ‘we don't need that tool.' Because you really do in today's game."
Case in point. Castleton (19-10) advanced to the NAC finals for the second time in three seasons under Culpo. This time, the Spartans drilled 16 three-pointers and shot nearly 50 percent from the field in a 102-76 victory to win the championship. Castleton qualified for the NCAA Division III National Tournament but lost to eventual national runner-up, Cabrini, in the first round.
Four Spartans scored double figures in the NAC Finals. Senior guard Greg Hughes tallied 23 points and made 6 of 10 from downtown. Mark Pryzbylkowski came off the bench to chip in 14 and hit 4 of 5 from behind the arc. NAC Player of the Year and Tournament MVP Mark Comstock scored 20 points.
"I'll say it again," Culpo said. "I had the game wrong all these years. I truly believe this is the way the game should be played now. This team was the least talented of my three at Castleton. Sure, chemistry played a part, but our style had a lot to do with our success. So did Noah. We will continue to utilize this system and Noah."
Here's some statistical proof of Castleton's new brand of basketball. The Spartans averaged 41.9 three-point attempts per game while making an average of 13.6. Opponents attempted 17 three-pointers per game and made 5.6.
Although Castleton played a full-court, up-tempo game, it protected the ball very well and had a plus-5.9 turnover margin. The Spartans also averaged nearly 11 steals per game.
Even more evidence is that Comstock, who earned NAC Player of the Year, averaged 17.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. He played an average of just 22.5 minutes each game. The next closest player of the year candidate in terms of minutes averaged nine minutes per game more than Comstock.
"Right there is how I evaluate efficiency," Culpo said. "Do more in less time."
An amazing 16 Spartans appeared in 20 or more games while 12 averaged double digit minutes.
"I believe that if Kentucky played the way we played, they would win every game by 40 points," Culpo said. "Top-to-bottom, they have the best athletes/basketball players in the game. They would run people out of the gym. Their games would be a joke."
Culpo is excited to expand his new philosophy and to incorporate Noah more into his system next season. The Spartans hope the results will include a victory in the national tournament.
"We play kids 45-60 seconds at a time so they can give 100 percent effort the entire time," Culpo said. "Think about traditional basketball. A player might play for 5-10 minute stretches, which would make it physically impossible to give 100 percent effort during that stretch of time."