While Boston College fans might wonder what could have been in 2018-19, the team and coaching staff doesn’t have that luxury. They have to go with what is in front of them, which is going to be a little different in more ways than one.
After last season ended, Jerome Robinson and Ky Bowman declared for the NBA Draft. Robinson stayed in and is now a member of the Los Angeles Clippers after being taken 13th overall, becoming BC’s first-ever lottery pick, but Bowman returns and will be the guy they primarily build around. Had Robinson remained, he would have been a serious ACC Player of the Year candidate once again (he was runner-up last year) and the Eagles would have one of the best backcourts in college basketball. Now Bowman will need running mates.
Bowman is certainly a good place to start. The ultra-competitive junior can not only score and get teammates going, but he rebounds very well for a guard. He’s already topped 1,000 points and fills the stat sheet on a regular basis.
He will need help, however. Bowman averaged over 38 minutes a game last year, and his shooting percentages were down significantly from his freshman year. This year, there will be much more attention devoted to him unless more support emerges.
The most proven perimeter player alongside him is senior Jordan Chatman, who can light it up from long range. He shot 39.5 percent from deep last season and scored in double figures in 14 ACC games, and they’ll need at least more of the same this season. After that are question marks.
The frontcourt looks to be led by steady junior Nik Popovic and sophomore Steffon Mitchell, the latter of who grew about as much as any Eagle during the season. Popovic is skilled and had a big 20-point outing in the ACC Tournament last season as part of a late season run where he came alive. Mitchell led the team in rebounding with over eight per game and had a nearly 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio, something not often seen among forwards. This year, he will need to do more at the offensive end, from boosting his 41.7 percent mark from the field to becoming a double-digit scorer more often.
Johncarlos Reyes remains an intriguing piece up front, with a lot of length and potential to be a rim protector, but the junior has to earn more than about ten minutes a night. Sophomore Luke Kraljevic showed some promise last season, while Jairus Hamilton is their most touted freshman and should earn minutes right away.
When thinking about this team, it’s important to remember that last year’s team was all but left for dead come December. The Eagles weren’t exactly awe-inspiring, and then Deontae Hawkins went down with a season-ending knee injury at Nebraska, a big blow to their frontcourt – or so it seemed. While they could have used Hawkins, who also decided to forego a sixth season of eligibility this season to turn pro, it was not a fatal blow to their season. The Eagles developed to the point that they won two games in the ACC Tournament, and had they won one more, they would have been in the conversation for an NCAA Tournament bid, which seemed unthinkable for so much of the season.
This year’s team will need to do something similar, especially since defensive game plans will likely start with Bowman after they started with Robinson last year. Mitchell showed promise, and he looks to be the most likely to take the next step, while Chatman will be a key in terms of keeping defenses honest with his shooting. In addition, cutting down on turnovers will go a long way; last season BC gave the ball away more than they took it away. Defensively, there will probably be more urgency, as last season they allowed opponents to shoot over 44 percent from the field.
Boston College will have some challenges in non-conference along with some very winnable games. They host Minnesota in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and also get Providence at home, while they travel to Texas A&M and DePaul. They are also in the Fort Myers Tip-Off in November, where they will take on Wyoming and either Loyola Chicago or Richmond in Fort Myers. ACC play is always tough, but it starts out with no favors as they play three of four on the road with Virginia being the only one at home.
Fans in Chestnut Hill will probably at times think of what might have been had Robinson stayed in town. The Eagles don’t have that luxury, so they must forge ahead with what they have – and that includes more than just what is on paper. They have to summon up what brought them from being thought of as an also-ran to a team not far from being in the NCAA Tournament conversation. If more help for Bowman emerges on the perimeter, this team could be better than expected.
