Earning his keep in second year

Naparlo proves to coach, teammates he is ready to contribute on floor

The men's basketball program is allotted 13 scholarships by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, one of which sophomore shooting guard John Naparlo now has.

"I think he wanted to feel like he had earned a spot on this team," coach Sherman Dillard said. "And I assured him that he had by granting him that scholarship."

In the three years since he graduated from Waslingham Academy, a small, private high school in Williamsburg, Naparlo has been in many places that others have not.

Since his high school wasn't a basketball powerhouse, Naparlo flew under the radar of most colleges, but still wanted to play Division I basketball, but it didn't look like that was going to happen right away.

"Out of high school, I had some offers from some smaller Division III schools, and I was a long-shot walk-on for Division I," Naparlo said.

So, he went to prep school in New Hampshire — New Hampton Prep — where he played for a year with fellow Division I hopefuls before eventually coming to JMU as a walk-on.

"[Looks] were the main reason I went to prep school," Naparlo said. "I knew I was going to a good [school], where everyone was there for the same reason (to get scouted by Division I programs)."

Before prep school, along with high school ball, Naparlo played on Boo Williams' 17-and-under Amatuer Athletic Union team in Florida, which won a national championship in 2000 and featured current Duke University standout, shooting guard J.J. Redick.

"That definitely helped," Naparlo said of the experience. "When you're playing against those guys and come back to the high school level, it boosts your confidence and you get a lot better."

Now, after coming to JMU as a walk-on last year, Naparlo has received his full ride at a Division I program which, according to Dillard, Naparlo earned in the off-season.

"He's a 'gym rat,'" Dillard said. "When he got back here in September, it was obvious he had done a lot of work in the offseason. He had committed himself to getting better as a player."

Last season, Naparlo played in half of JMU's 30 games. He finished the 2002-'03 campaign with 15 points, three rebounds and six assists. His best performance came Feb. 19 against Towson University when he scored 5 points, grabbed a rebound and had two assists. He hit on two of four shots, including one from 3-point range.

This season, Naparlo is one of few players who have played in a college game.

"He's taken advantage of the fact that he has a year of experience over some of these younger guys," Dillard said.

In JMU's first exhibition this year against the Czech Select team, Naparlo was third on the team in scoring with 13 points while playing 22 minutes.

In the team's next exhibition game against the EA Sports Southeast All-Stars, he started at the two guard position and managed to score 6 points with several assists.

It seems that his off-season work has paid off early.

"Last year, I didn't have a lot of confidence in my shot, and I worked a lot over the summer," Naparlo said. "And coach has faith in me right now."

But, for Naparlo, the scholarship isn't just about receiving a free college education. It is the fulfillment of a dream to play Division I basketball, which he has had since he was young. It is about earning a spot on the team and finishing what he started.

"This is definitely my dream and I knew I wanted to play any way I could, and the scholarship is just toppings," Naparlo said.