Hot-Shooting Brown Faces Sprinkle, CSN
1/23/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
teammate Danny Sprinkle, now an assistant coach at Cal State Northridge, shake handsbefore Thursday night’s MSU-Matador game, more will be present in that exchange than afew hundred three-pointers. That meeting will exemplify a way of life.
Brown has nailed 135 three-pointers as a Bobcat, while Sprinkle finished with a school-record
263. Both typify Montana State’s approach to basketball. And both, says Brown, are
products of their home state.
"There’s not a whole lot to do in Montana in the winter, so you just get in the gyms and shoot.
We shoot because we can’t jump and dunk," he laughs. "I think that’s part of it. We’re good
athletes, but not good enough to get to the hole and try all the circus shots. We have to learn to
shoot. "
Indeed, four of the 10 best three-point shooters in Big Sky Conference history are native
Montanans, including Sprinkle, who is second on that list with 263. Brown, with 135 threes
entering this weekend, could pass Orlando Lightfoot (168) and move into the top 10 sometime
this season, as well.
Sprinkle, who preceeded Brown as an all-state choice at Helena High, concurs with his former
teammate. "There’s really nothing else to do in Montana except shoot," he says. "It’s a little bit
like Indiana, with a lot of small towns and kids starting to play when they’re young."
Bobcat coach Mick Durham, who was a Montana prep star at Three Forks High more than
two decades before Brown and Sprinkle played 60 miles away in Helena, says it’s not an
accident that Helena High has produced so many shooters, a list that also includes former
Montana standout Chris Spoja. "The thing with Helena High is that kids start playing
basketball early," Durham said. "It is a basketball school and those kids start playing early in
Helena. Coach (Steve) Keller does a great job with that program."
In the case of Sprinkle and Brown, heredity and childhood environment combined to play a
major role. Bill Sprinkle was called "one of the best shooters I’ve ever seen" by MSU’s
long-time athletic trainer Chuck Karnop, and played football at Washington. Steve Brown
played basketball at Montana. "Growing up with my dad and with a couple of the other
coaches, they enforced shooting good, and then coach Keller (at Helena High) reinforced it
when we got up there," Brown said. "He does the same things coach Durham does. We did a
lot of shooting in practice. But it might have started earlier than that and worked its way up."
Another bond that ties Sprinkle and Brown is the influence of a pair of coaches that teach
good shooting, Keller and Durham. "I think coach Keller is pretty good (as a shooting
coach)," Brown said. "He does the same things coach Durham does, a lot of shooting in
practice."
Montana State’s shooting success has carried over to the national level. Sprinkle finished 13th
in the nation in three-pointers per game as a senior (3.3), while Brown currently leads the
nation in three-point percentage (.558). John Lazosky, an MSU senior from Billings, is
shooting .529 from beyond the arc. In fact, Brown, Lazosky and sophomore Pete Conway
from Billings are a combined 94-for-186 from three-point range this season for the ‘Cats. As a
team, MSU leads the nation with a .459 three-point percentage.
Sprinkle said the importance of shooting is not lost on players in the Bobcat program. "It’s
definitely an emphasis. They do a lot of shooting in practice. Mick does a good job making
sure guys take it seriously when they’re doing it, and he makes them go at game speed, which I
think is important."
Brown said one of Durham’s strengths as a coach is his ability to evaluate shooting. "The big
thing is mechanics. When I came in, my shot wasn’t real quick. It’s catch and shoot, you don’t
have time to catch and gather and set your feet, it’s all got to be in one motion. Coach Durham
does a great job of helping us step into our shots and make it all one motion."
According to Durham, getting the right players is as important as what happens once they’re in
the program. "Shooting ability and what their shooting form looks like is something we try to
evaluate very closely. We work pretty ahrd on some different fundamentals. The footwork,
being ready to shoot it, is as important as anything, and then getting it off quick. The biggest
adjustment for a high school kid to Division I is how much bigger and faster everybody is.
You’ve got to get your shot off quick."
Sprinkle and Brown have formed a mutual admiration society since playing together as
children. "He could always shoot, ever since he was a kid," Sprinkle said of Brown. "I
definitely take pride in being one of those guys, with Brown and Spoja (to come out of Helena
High), and I hope the kids there now are proud of us."
Brown, who says he’s looking forward to seeing Sprinkle one Thursday for the first time since
the summer, is also proud of the Helena High program. "I take a lot of pride in it. When a new
kid comes along, even when he goes to an NAIA school, that’s great. I think coach Keller has
done a good job, he’s had more kids come out and play college basketball than anyone, but
that stretch of Spoja, Sprinkle and myself, that’s pretty good for a Montana school."
The Bobcats and Matadors square off in a crucial contest on Thursday. MSU is 4-1 in league
play, alone in first place, while Northridge is 4-2, and was the unanimous preseason selection
to win the league. Tipoff is at 7 pm in Bozeman’s Worthington Arena.
MSU Three-Point Field Goals, Career
1. 263-Danny Sprinkle, 1995-99
2. 176-Scott Hatler, 192-96
3. 154-Tom Domako, 1984-88
4. 148-Alonzo Stephens, 1988-90
5. 135-Justin Brown, 1998-present
Big Sky Three-Point Field Goals, Career
1. 308-Ross Land, NAU
2. 263-Danny Sprinkle, Montana State (Helena)
3. 206-Brian Towne, Portland State
4. 196-Jimmy DeGraffenried, Weber State
5. 191-Jeremy Lake, Montana (Lambert)
6. 189-Mike Warhank, Montana (Great Falls)
7. 179-Shannon Taylor, Eastern Washington
8. 176-Alex Fisher, Weber State
9. 174-Scott Hatler, Montana State (Great Falls)
10. 168-Orlando Lightfoot, Idaho21. 135-Justin Brown, Montana State
Brown has nailed 135 three-pointers as a Bobcat, while Sprinkle finished with a school-record
263. Both typify Montana State’s approach to basketball. And both, says Brown, are
products of their home state.
"There’s not a whole lot to do in Montana in the winter, so you just get in the gyms and shoot.
We shoot because we can’t jump and dunk," he laughs. "I think that’s part of it. We’re good
athletes, but not good enough to get to the hole and try all the circus shots. We have to learn to
shoot. "
Indeed, four of the 10 best three-point shooters in Big Sky Conference history are native
Montanans, including Sprinkle, who is second on that list with 263. Brown, with 135 threes
entering this weekend, could pass Orlando Lightfoot (168) and move into the top 10 sometime
this season, as well.
Sprinkle, who preceeded Brown as an all-state choice at Helena High, concurs with his former
teammate. "There’s really nothing else to do in Montana except shoot," he says. "It’s a little bit
like Indiana, with a lot of small towns and kids starting to play when they’re young."
Bobcat coach Mick Durham, who was a Montana prep star at Three Forks High more than
two decades before Brown and Sprinkle played 60 miles away in Helena, says it’s not an
accident that Helena High has produced so many shooters, a list that also includes former
Montana standout Chris Spoja. "The thing with Helena High is that kids start playing
basketball early," Durham said. "It is a basketball school and those kids start playing early in
Helena. Coach (Steve) Keller does a great job with that program."
In the case of Sprinkle and Brown, heredity and childhood environment combined to play a
major role. Bill Sprinkle was called "one of the best shooters I’ve ever seen" by MSU’s
long-time athletic trainer Chuck Karnop, and played football at Washington. Steve Brown
played basketball at Montana. "Growing up with my dad and with a couple of the other
coaches, they enforced shooting good, and then coach Keller (at Helena High) reinforced it
when we got up there," Brown said. "He does the same things coach Durham does. We did a
lot of shooting in practice. But it might have started earlier than that and worked its way up."
Another bond that ties Sprinkle and Brown is the influence of a pair of coaches that teach
good shooting, Keller and Durham. "I think coach Keller is pretty good (as a shooting
coach)," Brown said. "He does the same things coach Durham does, a lot of shooting in
practice."
Montana State’s shooting success has carried over to the national level. Sprinkle finished 13th
in the nation in three-pointers per game as a senior (3.3), while Brown currently leads the
nation in three-point percentage (.558). John Lazosky, an MSU senior from Billings, is
shooting .529 from beyond the arc. In fact, Brown, Lazosky and sophomore Pete Conway
from Billings are a combined 94-for-186 from three-point range this season for the ‘Cats. As a
team, MSU leads the nation with a .459 three-point percentage.
Sprinkle said the importance of shooting is not lost on players in the Bobcat program. "It’s
definitely an emphasis. They do a lot of shooting in practice. Mick does a good job making
sure guys take it seriously when they’re doing it, and he makes them go at game speed, which I
think is important."
Brown said one of Durham’s strengths as a coach is his ability to evaluate shooting. "The big
thing is mechanics. When I came in, my shot wasn’t real quick. It’s catch and shoot, you don’t
have time to catch and gather and set your feet, it’s all got to be in one motion. Coach Durham
does a great job of helping us step into our shots and make it all one motion."
According to Durham, getting the right players is as important as what happens once they’re in
the program. "Shooting ability and what their shooting form looks like is something we try to
evaluate very closely. We work pretty ahrd on some different fundamentals. The footwork,
being ready to shoot it, is as important as anything, and then getting it off quick. The biggest
adjustment for a high school kid to Division I is how much bigger and faster everybody is.
You’ve got to get your shot off quick."
Sprinkle and Brown have formed a mutual admiration society since playing together as
children. "He could always shoot, ever since he was a kid," Sprinkle said of Brown. "I
definitely take pride in being one of those guys, with Brown and Spoja (to come out of Helena
High), and I hope the kids there now are proud of us."
Brown, who says he’s looking forward to seeing Sprinkle one Thursday for the first time since
the summer, is also proud of the Helena High program. "I take a lot of pride in it. When a new
kid comes along, even when he goes to an NAIA school, that’s great. I think coach Keller has
done a good job, he’s had more kids come out and play college basketball than anyone, but
that stretch of Spoja, Sprinkle and myself, that’s pretty good for a Montana school."
The Bobcats and Matadors square off in a crucial contest on Thursday. MSU is 4-1 in league
play, alone in first place, while Northridge is 4-2, and was the unanimous preseason selection
to win the league. Tipoff is at 7 pm in Bozeman’s Worthington Arena.
MSU Three-Point Field Goals, Career
1. 263-Danny Sprinkle, 1995-99
2. 176-Scott Hatler, 192-96
3. 154-Tom Domako, 1984-88
4. 148-Alonzo Stephens, 1988-90
5. 135-Justin Brown, 1998-present
Big Sky Three-Point Field Goals, Career
1. 308-Ross Land, NAU
2. 263-Danny Sprinkle, Montana State (Helena)
3. 206-Brian Towne, Portland State
4. 196-Jimmy DeGraffenried, Weber State
5. 191-Jeremy Lake, Montana (Lambert)
6. 189-Mike Warhank, Montana (Great Falls)
7. 179-Shannon Taylor, Eastern Washington
8. 176-Alex Fisher, Weber State
9. 174-Scott Hatler, Montana State (Great Falls)
10. 168-Orlando Lightfoot, Idaho21. 135-Justin Brown, Montana State
Monday, August 24
Monday, August 24
Wednesday, August 19
Wednesday, June 10
