Formula For Success

Akida and Sean are gone. There is no reason to dwell on the past. While Sean brought excitement and frustration to Conte Forum, Akida brought nothing more than inappropriate court side garb and the nagging question of "what if"? In his three years, Akida spent more time in the dentist office than he did on the basketball court- and his teeth do not demand special attention. The only thing more fake than his potential as a Boston College basketball player were the twenty dollar bills that earned him a warm seat on the bench.

The Eagles, for better or for worse, now have a roster full of guys that came to The Heights to play basketball. Off the court distractions are a thing of the past, and the team must focus on the future. But, without the dynamic Sean Williams in the front court, can the Eagles compete?

This has been the topic of conversation amongst my friends since the news was broken yesterday. While skeptics abound, some of the more knowledgeable basketball minds in the group see an opportunity. What if BC went small?

Boston College is renown for their rough-and-tough interior play on the hardwood and their physical offensive line on the gridiron. The move to the ACC has drawn a different type of athlete to Chestnut Hill, and our rosters are being filled with more and more speed.

Villanova proved last year that a team can compete by utilizing guard play, even in a conference loaded with superior front court talent- the Big East. When you scan the BC roster, it is clear that we are now deeper in the back court.

Based on talent and performance, our starting five should be as follows:

PG- Tyrese Rice
SG- Marquez Haynes
SF- Sean Marshall
PF- Jared Dudley
C- Shamari Spears

John Oates might be a better choice to start the game to give us a chance on the jump, but he should split time with Shamari. Spears has proven that he can rebound against bigger bodies, and he can establish inside position on the offensive end. Oates simply cannot.

Furthermore, Tyrell Blair is a liability on the floor, and attempting to have him take over for Sean Williams would be a disaster.

What I like about the small lineup:

1. All of these "starters" work their asses off. With the exception of Rice, none of these guys take plays off, and they appear to be the most cohesive group on the floor.

2. Team defense has looked very good recently when BC has applied full court pressure. This group should be quick enough to shift into and out of various defensive schemes, disrupting opponents.

3. This will take the entire load off of Jared's shoulders. While he is obviously the best player on the court for BC, a new look will force opponents to prepare for each floor match-up. The current system relies on our ability to out-execute teams with the Flex. There are no surprises.

4. Tyrese is a very good dribbler. Despite a small line-up, he should be able to slow the ball down and control the tempo of the game if BC chooses to. Skinner will need to be more aggressive from the bench, however, to make sure this is a focus.

What concerns me:

1. I don't know if Al Skinner can successfully implement this strategy. He was an inside player throughout his career, and he has typically coached the Flex on offense. He will need to be a lot more creative if we go small, and managing timeouts is critical in order to stymie cold streaks and opponent runs from happening.

2. The Eagles have no depth, therefore the starters must avoid injury. Tyler Roche has been given a few shots this year, and he has proven to be undeserving thus far. I hope this kid surprises me if he is called upon in the future. What happened to him being a good shooter? I haven't seen enough of Daye Kaba to determine if he is a viable option off the bench, but he has appeared timid in limited time. Neville has been around, but looks nervous on the floor and will likely buckle against the high-intensity defenses ACC opponents will throw at us.

3. If we go small, players need to do a better job following their shots. We all know that Haynes, Spears, Dudley, and Marshall are capable of rebounding, but they must assert themselves on the offensive end.

4. Our speed does not compare to many other college bball teams that opt to "go small." Also, we do not shoot the ball from the perimeter or from the line as well as successful teams have in the past (though we have shown improvement). To be competitive, we must still control the tempo of the game and get back on defense. Getting back has brought real issues this season, particularly against the Hurricanes

Saturday Will Be Interesting

I can't wait to see how the Eagles respond Saturday against Clemson. The Tigers will be hungry after being embarrassed by the Tar Heels last night. Boston College has dealt with adversity in the past, and the remaining guys on the roster have often brought their A game when the situation has demanded it. It will be a long road to the big dance, but BC is poised to do as The Average Joe's did in Dodgeball. This will be a true underdog story.