Just a week after five-star recruit Terrance Clarke picked Kentucky out of a “final six” that included Boston College men’s basketball, the Eagles bounced back and became the selected—not the spurned.
On Saturday afternoon, four-star recruit Demarr Langford, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard and the younger brother of current BC junior Makai Ashton-Langford, picked the Eagles and head coach Jim Christian over conference rival North Carolina State.
Langford, ranked No. 83 in the ESPN Top 100 and 87th in 247Sports, is Christian’s second top-100 recruit in the last three years after BC hadn’t landed one since 2011. He’ll arrive on campus and play alongside Jairus Hamilton, who made waves in January 2018 when the No. 55 ESPN recruit chose BC.
The Brewster Academy (N.H.) product announced his decision via Twitter, shooting a video with his family—Makai included—that ended with him putting on a BC cap and revealing a t-shirt. It was a heartwarming scene, especially when he turned to his brother at the end. The two will play their first year at BC together, as Ashton-Langford transferred from Providence in July and will be ineligible in 2019-20 but has two more years of eligibility after.
Langford had no deficit of offers from Power Five schools. On Sept. 10, he narrowed his list down to three—BC, N.C. State, and Texas A&M. He had previously held offers from Connecticut and Bryant, but turned those away for the higher level of ACC basketball.
Christian and his staff, headlined by prolific recruiter Scott Spinelli, have shown the ability in recent years to stay in the conversation for high-end players. Clarke to Kentucky was a give-in, but the fact that he visited Chestnut Hill is saying something. The Eagles have had two NBA developmental stories the last few years in Jerome Robinson and Ky Bowman, and whatever Christian is pitching seems to be sticking.
BC will start 2019-20 with a former five-star recruit at point guard in Derryck Thornton, then in 2020-21 will turn the reins over to a healthy Wynston Tabbs, Ashton-Langford (who clocked in at 38th in the Class of 2017 rankings), and his talented younger brother.
Featured Image by Bradley Smart / Heights Editor
