Scott Noftall

Welcome to the Blog this month where we explore the basketball career of Scott Noftall…one of the hardest working basketball dudes of all time in NL History!

He was described as TOUGH by his teammates and if Leon Peddle calls you tough you truly must be! Scott was obviously a high level, fluid athlete. He had good shot selection and didn't just jack up quick looks. Scott didn't have to always have the ball in his hands which made him a valued teammate with all the hot shooters on his MUN teams! Ok, ready to unpack the basketball career of the one and only Scott Noftall?! Let's get it!

First, thank you Ian for the opportunity to share my humble basketball story and take a stroll down memory lane.

1 - Can you give us an introduction. Name, high school, are you still involved with basketball?

My name is Scott Noftall. I attended O'Donel High School in Mt.Pearl.

Yes, I am still involved in basketball. I moved to St.Catharines Ontario in 2018 and connected with the Pelham Panthers Basketball Association. During Covid I led their group sessions. They are based out of a community center and at that time they were one of the few clubs in the country that had access to their own gym. 

A new group of 50 kids every hour for 6 hours twice a week starting with Kindergarten and finishing with HS athletes. It was quite challenging with all the covid protocols to teach the game, compete and have fun but all my years of running camps in NL came in handy. I also had a great group of players and parents helping me out. An excellent experience with a great club. The Panthers are now the largest basketball club in Ontario. 

After covid I took a break but this past summer I have been working with a small group of dedicated athletes preparing for next season.

2 - What got you hooked on basketball?

There were so many things that got me hooked but it started playing intramurals in elementary school at Mary Queen of The World. Jumping off Wthe heater trying to dunk on the side nets and just having fun with my classmates. 

Intramurals grew into playing on the school team. Bren O’Brien was our coach. He was a competitor and so began the cross town rivalry with St.Peter's Junior High. 

Somewhere around that time I saw a poster for a camp at Memorial. I remember it said NO CAMP T-SHIRT and being disappointed that I would not get my first basketball t-shirt. I went to the camp, made friends and won MVP for my team.

Our PE teacher Randy Ball helped get me hooked further during my junior high school days. He refereed division 1 men's league games and I asked him to take me to the games when I was in grade 9 with my mother’s permission. He would pick me and I’d tag along to the game. I’d usually get to see the last part of one game, then a full game and at least the warmup for another. I’d sit up in the stands by myself at Brother Rice and was just in awe of players like Roy Normore, Ron Tobin, Sutton and many more. 

A couple of other important events really cemented not only my love for the game but a lot of kids at the time. In the fall of 89 the Indiana Pacers and Denver Nuggets played 2 exhibition games at Memorial Stadium. As part of the weekend local school teams got to play on the court. I remember they were trying to get so many teams to play on the court that overtime was sudden death. 

Another boost to basketball for the province was Memorial University reentering the AUAA basketball conference that same fall. I never missed a game if I wasn’t playing myself. 

3 - best coach you ever had

Left to right - Glen Taylor, Mike Woods, Scott Noftall, John Devereaux, Shane Harte, Darren Payne

Glen Taylor. 

I played with an edge and while some coaches might have tried to change my game or tone me down some, Taylor made me a captain. He picked me as an under-age player for the provincial team, for the Canada Games team and 3 seasons at Memorial. He gave up a lot of time away from his family to coach us and I appreciated it then and more so now. 

In those programs I got a solid foundation of the fundamentals. He was hard on me at times and demanded our best. We won the men's D1 league one year before the banquet started they asked him who his vote was for Defensive Player of the Year. I remember hearing him say ‘give it to Noftall’. lol

Also, with Taylor through those years was Bill Murphy and Joe Lake. They were all so good to me. I can’t thank those guys enough for teaching me the game and letting me be me. 

I have to say a special thank you to Bernie Griffin.

When Coach Griffin came to O’Donel from the powerhouse Brother Rice he changed our program. We went from a 3A school that never got invited to the big tournaments to going to literally every tournament on the island. He opened the gym door up for us and we went from a practice a week to 3 or 4. He put an incredible amount of time and energy into our team. He believed in me and I remember him telling me he would make a highlight video of me that year to send to schools. That gave me a lot of confidence. Thank you Coach!rr

4 - tell me about your high school gym. Big? Where did the fans sit?! How was the Level of fan support.

Matchbox. Tile floor. One net was at least 10’4”. No bleachers. We had glass backboards but no protective foam underneath. When your peers are playing at schools with cool gyms like Booth, Rice, Bishops and Gonzaga you feel cheated as a young baller. I realize those schools were built in different eras but the difference was significant. 

We hosted the 3A provincials at our school in 91. The place was packed and I remember it being an exciting weekend. The way the tournament was scheduled one team had to play 3 games on the Friday. As the host we, instead of drawing for it, volunteered to play the 3 Friday games. Something like 11am, 3pm and 8pm was the schedule. We beat the Peter Benoit and Sonny Ennis lead Laval team that night. 

In the semifinals the next morning one of our best players slept in and we were down by 31 to a team from Stephenville.He showed up at half and we came back to win and played Laval again in the finals. Still hurts but we lost. They were well coached, had a squad of tough kids that loved the game and played team basketball. We were gassed and couldn’t get the job done. 

That same weekend we had a free throw contest and fans from our school sat on the stage and would unroll large posters of Sharon Stone and Cindy Crawford when opposing players were shooting in the finals we shot 5 in a row each. I went 25/25 and won a trophy that I still have somewhere.

Draining one against Peter on the 10’4” net aka the ‘Green Monster’.

5 - who were your top 3 teammates over the years?

You are putting me on the spot now Ian! I refuse to name just 3 but here are some of the many great teammates I had.

When I was a rookie at Memorial. We had two guys in their 5th year. Mark Elliot whom you had on your blog and Bruce Nowe. 

Bruce was the coolest. He was a good student, drove a Nissan 300ZX and had a beautiful girlfriend. Every practice I would go at him. I’d pick him up full court trying to steal the ball. Just a nuisance but every practice he would make some time for me. He’d always joke and skip me in line for drills. We’d shoot after practice or play one on one. He made me feel a part of the team and I had my best year that year. Yes, it was only 1.6 pts per game but it was my best. 

Mark Elliot is a legend. One time a group of us went out to a pub and a family member was there and I was very uncomfortable. I will never forget it. It was in the middle of the winter and everyone was having a great time except me. Elliot comes over and says ‘say the word and we’re gone’. Next thing I know the whole squad is back out in the cold. That is a leader. 

Shane Harte and Glen Squiers. I played with those two guys all throughout my Canada Games days and into university. We hung out and were the best of friends. So many laughs and battles together. I miss those guys.

From high school. Brian Aylward. He is now a stand up comedian and performs all over the world. He has an incredible basketball story that I hope to read on this blog sometime. 

Finally, I got to go with ‘The Mayor’ Peter Benoit. One of the hardest working athletes in the history of our province. When he first joined our Canada Games program he was skin and bones and his skills were raw. Seven years later he was an All Canadian and MVP of the AUS. So inspiring. 

92 Nationals playing a game of crib. Benoit, myself, Tim Beckett, Dereck Anderson

had 38 in back to back games in high school one weekend. Might have cracked 40 somewhere along the way who knows. The 3 ball was not in play like it is today. I remember it was taboo to shoot a 3 as your first shot in a game!  Anyways, I was never a big time scorer. In grade 12 I averaged around 20 and hit the 30 mark a bunch but nothing crazy. 

I had a clipping from the paper ( I saved every basketball clipping from the Telegram for about a decade) of Andrea Hutchens when she scored 64 points in HS. She played at the University of Winnipeg and won 3 national championships in the early 90’s. I also remember Shane Butland scoring something like 75 in a game. He was a couple of years younger than me but was a really nice player. 

7- Have you played any basketball in the summer? Camps? NLBA? 

If you played ball in Mt.Pearl in the early 90’s you spent your summers at Grants courts. The nets were low and I remember people saying it would hurt your shot. Lol There was a house close by that let you drink out of their hose. We would all chip in a buck or two to buy batteries for someone's boombox. Life was good!

8 - What is your most memorable basketball moment?

Tough question. I had so many great moments. Obviously going to the nationals in 92 and then the Canada Games in 93 was an awesome experience. So many great players from all over the country. Four years of hard work leading up to Kamloops. I remember the talk of the games was this kid from BC named Steve Nash! I have so many fun and memorable moments Ian!

Once in the old Memorial gym our games team was playing the Argentia Naval Base team and they played the Canadian anthem on cassette over the gym PA. When it was over the US team were waiting for the Star Spangled banner but they never had it. These grown men were not impressed and it fired them up. That was an awkward jump ball. 

Doing the play by play and commentary for HS school games was a blast. I love calling games. I even got to do a St.Johns’ Edge game.

But if I had to pick the single most memorable basketball moment it would be starting a club called Next Level Basketball Training. When I left in 2018 my coaching partner Angela Torraville took over the program and has done an incredible job since. What a teammate!

The very first session of NLBT not one person showed up.

I had the gym booked at O’Donel for 7pm and waited the full hour but not one kid came. When I got home my fiancee was heartbroken for me but I didn’t sweat it. I knew my heart was in the right place and I was willing to put in the work to build it. Ten years later the club has helped grow the game and worked with many young players. 

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9 - Where have you travelled for basketball? Provincials?

My first ever basketball trip was to Trepassey in grade 10 for a tournament. It was in their old gym. I’m talking Hoosier type stuff. It made O’Donel’s look like a stadium. Trepassey is a special place because it’s a true basketball community. 

Later that same year we went to Baie Verte for the 3A provincials. It was the time of my life. I was the youngest on the team. We listened to the Doobie Brothers Greatest hits the whole way. When we arrived they had a small TV set up in the school lobby with Michael Jordans Come Fly With Me video playing on repeat. 

Basketball took me all over the Island and the maritimes. We went to tournaments each year in Montreal and Winnipeg. Finally, we went to Kamloops two summers in a row.

10 - who is the most difficult player you have guarded?

I had to guard Peter Benoit everyday at practice. John Coacker was a great guard from Mt.Pearl. He was so fast and had chances to play at a few different schools but luckily he chose Memorial. 

Shane Harte is a guy that I hope doesn’t get lost in the conversation of great NL players. When we were coming up he was a phenom. He had 45 against Nova Scotia in U17. In 92 we went to the nationals in Kamloops and he won first team all star. Just an incredible athlete. In university he would guard the best players in the league game after game. Between him and Benoit I had to bring it everyday at practice or get absolutely chirped to death afterwards.

Sadly Canadian basketball legend Greg Francis from Ontario passed away this year. We played them at the nationals and he was just on another level.  

11 - what advice would you give to young NL ballers starting out to ensure success?

Listen to your coaches, get Morgan, her ball in your hands everyday you eat and try to improve 1% each day. The more skills you have, the more fun you will have! 

12 - last question and then just for fun…who is your favourite NBA team? Favourite NBA player? 

I have a cat named Kobe Bean Bryant. 

I lived next to a video store called J.W.Allans and in the early days I rented a video called Pride and Passion: The 1984 NBA Playoffs and Finals. I racked up a ton of late fees watching that one. Kareem broke Wilt’s scoring record that year. Magic and Bird in the finals for the first time and it was the first year of the slam dunk competition. The Celtics beat LA in 7 but Magic was my guy from day one. The next year the Bulls drafted a guy named Michael Jordan and the rest is history. 

Thanks again Ian. Hello to ALL the coaches and teammates I had over the years.