Not long ago, someone asked me what should have been an innocent question: What's the best Boston College men's basketball team that you remember?
Without hesitation, my mind raced the 2005-2006 squad. On paper alone the team was impressive. Take a quick look at the roster and you'll find three names now etched on the backs of NBA jerseys. Craig Smith, Jared Dudley, and Sean Williams were as talented a trio as any in BC history, even when the latter occasionally needed that "good ole' self-medicatin'." The supporting cast consisted of "Byrd" Hinnant, Tyrese Rice, and Sean Marshall. Hinnant provided the leadership, Rice the energy, and Marshall (depending on which side of the bed he woke up on) the positive attitude. The team had so much depth that even coach Al Skinner decided to throw caution to the wind and play a nine-man rotation, including the illustrious likes of John Oates, Marquez Haynes, and Akida McLain in the fun.
For all of 2006's highs on the court - beating North Carolina twice, reaching the ACC championship and Sweet 16 en route to a sterling 28-8 record - something was missing.
Maybe it was a lack of swagger. But then again, Marshall didn't seem to have that problem when he screamed in J.J. Redick's ear at Conte, and Williams and McLain certainly didn't lack confidence off the court. Nonetheless, whatever they lacked prevented the Eagles from moving beyond the Sweet 16 after they blew a 14-point lead and lost to Villanova in overtime.
My question is this: Is that as good as it's going to get? That Sweet 16 appearance was the first since 1994 for a program that has never seen a Final Four. In Al Skinner's 11 seasons as head coach, national analysts have praised BC for being consistently good. But that begs the question: Can we be great?
What makes the North Carolinas and Dukes of the world so good is their history. The kids who watched Antawn Jamison and Vince Carter at UNC wanted to emulate their heroes. A kid named Sean May wanted to be the next Jamison, while classmate Rashad McCants dreamed of making the league as the next Vince. When the indomitable Matt Doherty lured Raymond Felton from South Carolina, the pieces were set for the Tar Heels' last championship.
Teams can still win without history. Before Billy Donovan won back-to-back titles at Florida, he had to turn a mediocre program into something by wining and dining AAU coaches. Likewise, John Calipari took UMass, of all schools, to a Final Four.
The reality in college basketball is that you are always one recruit away from contending for a national title. That should offer both hope and discomfort for BC fans. On the positive side, the Eagles could always land the next Kevin Durant or Carmelo Anthony, and hope they stick around to lead the team to a Final Four.
The downside, however, is that BC has not landed a major college basketball recruit in years. The aforementioned players of the 2006 team may have been talented, but their success has to be largely attributed to Skinner's teaching. None came in as Parade or McDonald's All-Americans; they took time to acclimate to the college game.
The same can be said for the current group of Eagles. While Rice and Oates remain the only holdovers that played two years ago, the team's nucleus rests with the freshman class. If he ever learns how to shoot a free throw, Rakim Sanders will be a star. Corey Raji and Biko Paris offer the athleticism that even Skinner's best teams have lacked. And the most heralded of the bunch, Josh Southern, will eventually walk onto the court when Skinner deems it fit.
The consensus says that these players will take another step and be a top-25 team next season if Rice returns. Although the ACC will be improved from the two-team race it is this year, BC should be near the top next season. But, as we've seen before with Skinner's prior generation, BC can be very good. The question remains: Can they be great?
Writing this column in the wake of two tough losses to Virginia and Virginia Tech, and on the eve of a road trip to Chapel Hill, N.C., and Clemson, the answer appears muddy. Next year's recruiting class isn't going to bring the next LeBron or Amare to Chestnut Hill, Mass. Once again, BC has landed more "Skinner guys," players who flew under the proverbial national radar. Early reports indicate that off-guard Reggie Jackson will play extensively next season because of his outstanding defense and quickness.
The time has come for BC to take the next step. No longer can it afford to miss the boat on top recruits like Erik Murphy, a local high school junior and son of former player Jay Murphy, who committed to Florida earlier this month over the Eagles. The clock is already ticking on another talented group's eligibility. Hopefully, with a little help, that class can take the basketball program to an unprecedented height.
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