Hardwood Heating Up As Season Draws Nearer

For the Boston College basketball team, the regular season doesn't begin on November 11.

Sure, that's when the first official game tips off against Nicholls State. That's when the records start mattering, and that's when the road begins for 351 teams harboring dreams of becoming one of the 68 teams selected to compete on March Madness' grand stage.

For BC, the season is already underway.

The Eagles are well into their preseason practice schedule, having started the process of preparing for the official opener against the Southland Conference's Colonels. That means they're well underway in terms of putting a new team together with a new look and a new attitude.

"I think our team is really fitting well together," said head coach Jim Christian. "They're a good group of kids, and they're all trying to play the right way. They're very coachable, and as long as they stay that way - which I know everyone always says - we can establish what we're trying to do out here."

For the Eagles, the establishment means putting a practically brand-new roster together. There is something of a complete overhaul, with more than half of the players new to the program. That includes three transfers, including two graduate players who will play their final year of eligibility in Conte Forum.

Those two graduate transfers bring with them the experience of playing at the elite national level. Forwards on teams that won mid-major conference tournaments, both Connar Tava and Mo Jeffers have seen the bright lights of the NCAA Tournament.

Tava's Western Michigan Broncos won the Mid-American Conference during his sophomore year in 2014, a season in which he averaged 11.8 points and 5.7 rebounds. He's a player Christian's been able to see up close, having coached against those Broncos while at Ohio University.

That same year, Jeffers was on the Delaware Blue Hens roster that won 25 games, finished first in the Colonial Athletic Association, and won the conference tournament. Though both players' squads bowed out in the Round of 64 that year, that's an experience that BC can draw upon.

Along with them, BC brought in Jordan Chatman, a sophomore who spent a redshirt and freshman season with Brigham Young. Last year, the Cougars landed on the wrong side of the NCAA bubble despite finishing 23-10. Earning a #2 seed in the NIT instead, they advanced to the semifinals before losing by two to Valparaiso. Chatman saw time in 36 games for BYU, which finished its year in Provo with a 26-11 record.

"It's been great to watch them (at BC)," said Christian, "because they're playing the way older guys should play. They play the right way and they make everyone around them better. They display a grit, a physical toughness that we lacked and we needed. They just have a knowledge of the game that translates to making smart basketball plays. I'm really, really excited to have them on our team, and they've been better than expected."

In addition to the transfers, four freshmen join the roster, including guards Ky Bowman and Ty Graves. While that means they'll have an obvious new look from fresh faces, it also means there's a new style of play, one utilizing more speed and quickness that will make its way into Chestnut Hill.

Early in the preseason, Bowman's ability at the point guard position is opening up a different kind of game for the Eagles. Before he chose BC, he was a wide receiver commit to the North Carolina football program. After decommitting, he received an offer from Alabama, but he chose to pursue basketball and chose Chestnut Hill.

His mentality and ability are allowing the Eagles to open things up a little bit more. It's transforming returnees like Jerome Robinson and A.J. Turner, making the offense look more opportunistic while at the same time getting defenses off balance.

While it allows them to become more aggressive in running the floor, it's also utilized in a half-court setting, using quick ball movement and passing against both man-to-man and zone settings. Defensively, it'll allow BC to pressure teams better - and more often.

"We have to take advantage (of our speed)," said Christian, "especially on the perimeter. We have a lot of fast, athletic guys. It's a strength and it's something that we have to play towards."

Despite the optimism, the team is still young and, at times, raw. Eleven are sophomores or younger. That means there will be hiccups along the way, especially as the team develops more and creates more chemistry.

"They just have to get better at continuing their understanding (of the college game)," said Christian. "Young players have a really great grasp of the game in practice, and then once the game goes and the lights go on, they kind of lose that until they get comfortable. So we have to be patient with that process, keep teaching them and keep getting them better. They're all willing (to do what it takes)."

At the same time, though, it's not necessarily about the team's youth but how well they come together in understanding the game. "It's important for the older guys (to teach what they know) because they've been around and have a better understanding," said Christian, "but really it's about how quickly each player grasps (the game). So there's some younger guys who are picking things up quickly, and they're teaching the guys who are struggling a little bit. That's one thing they have been doing, and they've been really supportive of each other."

As the season draws nearer, the Eagles are busy preparing for the first look at the roster. BC takes on Stonehill in an exhibition game on November 3rd at 7 PM in Conte Forum, followed eight days later by the season-opener against the Colonels.

Hardwood Heating Up As Season Draws Nearer

Players Mentioned

Ky Bowman

Jordan Chatman

Mo Jeffers

Jerome Robinson

Connar Tava

A.J. Turner

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