Culpo Makes Choice
March 31st, 2008
NewEnglandRecruitingReport.com
St. Andrew’s star guard has made his decision and will play division I basketball in the Northeast Conference next season.
After three very successful years at St. Andrew’s (Barrington, Rhode Island), Mike Culpo has decided to accept a scholarship offer from Long Island University.
“Michael is very happy and excited about his decision,” said St. Andrew’s Head Coach Mike Hart. “He’s one of the best scoring point guard’s we’ve had at St. Andrew’s. He has over 1600 career points and will always be remembered as the kid who made ‘the shot’.”
Of course the shot Hart was referring to was his buzzer beating pull-up in the finals of the 2006 NEPSAC Class B tournament when St. Andrew’s scored an upset victory over current UConn guard Jerome Dyson and Proctor Academy (Andover, NH).
Culpo was only a sophomore and in his first year at St. Andrew’s when he hit that shot. Consequently, he quickly developed the reputation of being a big game player. He seemed to embrace that title as he continued to play his best when the lights were the brightest for the rest of his career, including a big performance at the Hall of Fame Hoop Hall Classic in his junior year.
This season, the senior accepted a new challenge as he took over the point guard position on a full time basis. The sharp-shooting guard had been considered by most to be more of a scorer than a distributor, but he proved this year that he could balance both roles.
Ultimately, it may be Culpo’s versatility that is his biggest asset. In addition to being able to play both guard positions, the Massachusetts native is also a player who can beat the defense in a variety of ways. He is one of the best pure shooters in the region, with range that far exceeds the college three-point line. But if defenders press up on him, he is equally adept at putting the ball on the floor, where he can pull-up in the mid-range area or come up with some crafty finishes inside the lane.
Culpo leaves St. Andrew's with a terrific resume including his 1600 points and two NEPSAC Class B titles. Simultaneously, he joins an LIU program that should immediately benefit from his offensive firepower on the perimeter.
