Boston College Athletics
Photo by: Young Kim
2019-20 Preview Series: Thornton's Seamless Fit Saves Best For Last
November 07, 2019 | Men's Basketball, #ForBoston Files
The graduate transfer led BC to an opening night win over Wake Forest
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- For Boston College, guards have always been the centerpiece of Jim Christian's offense. The ability to play smaller, faster and quicker always allowed the team to explode in transition. But it also stemmed from a group of intelligent, talented engineers who developed into professionals.
Unfortunately for Christian, this year left him without anyone with experience. Jerome Robinson is entering his second season with the Los Angeles Clippers after becoming the program's first-ever lottery pick. Ky Bowman has been announcing his presence with authority as the starting point guard of the Golden State Warriors. Sophomore Wynston Tabbs will miss the season with an injury.
Christian realized he needed someone to come into BC, even for just one year. Enter Derryck Thornton, a former five-star recruit who played at both Duke and Southern California.
"We play pretty fast," Christian said. "This year, with Derryck and Jay (Heath), we're going to go fast. We would've been able to play (three guards) with Wynston. This is a league where you have to score points, so you have to find easier opportunities."
Thornton checked almost every box for BC. As a two-year starter for USC, he identified as a distributor. He led the Trojans with 139 assists, fifth among all Pac-12 players, for a 4.3 assists-per-game average. He played seven games without committing a turnover, creating a more than 2:1 ratio for helpers. He wasn't primarily a shooter but still averaged 7.7 points per game, and he opened conference play last year with 13 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds - just shy of a triple-double. Â
And last night, he showed his ability to be the alpha guard on the Eagles, scoring a career-high 23 points to go along with four rebounds, two assists, and three steals in the 77-70 win over Wake Forest.
His college career began at Duke as the No. 11 overall recruit in the 2015 class. Thornton started at point guard in 20 of the Blue Devils' 36 games that year, helping lead the team to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament. The team went 15-5 in games he started that year, and he scored in double figures seven times with four games featuring five or more assists. He finished that season ranked No. 10 on the Duke freshman list of assists, but he decided after the year to transfer back home to Los Angeles to play for the Trojans, where he played two seasons before earning his undergraduate degree.
"One of the things that impressed me when we recruited him was how much he wanted to fit in," Christian said. "He wanted to go to know the guys really well. He got to know them and that was smart on his part. He wants to get better and that's why he came here."
Thornton unquestionably fills the gap left by Bowman's departure. BC's offense ticks through its point guard, and that player needs to distribute on the offensive end. Everyone's required to play in constant motion to create an open shot, so it needs to start with a player possessing court vision and selflessness. A point guard obviously needs to shoot, but the Eagles always play as the sum of its parts rather than relying on superstars.
"A lot of ways to score are in transition because we don't have the type of team that can bang in the post," Christian said. "We don't have that marquee guy that's going to create his own shot all the time, so we have to score in transition."
It's a system playing directly to Thornton's strengths. He's assimilated seamlessly into a leadership role for the Eagles, and he's already a trusted teammate. He can call on his history to identify situations, especially in the ACC, but there's a desire to make him a Boston College basketball component instead of a singular player.
"We're mission driven because that's going to help them here," Christian said. "If they come in here personally drive, it doesn't work out. Derryck understands that by coming in here, he can help us out short-term, and it's going to help him long-term. He's bought into that, and he's made it easy."
Unfortunately for Christian, this year left him without anyone with experience. Jerome Robinson is entering his second season with the Los Angeles Clippers after becoming the program's first-ever lottery pick. Ky Bowman has been announcing his presence with authority as the starting point guard of the Golden State Warriors. Sophomore Wynston Tabbs will miss the season with an injury.
Christian realized he needed someone to come into BC, even for just one year. Enter Derryck Thornton, a former five-star recruit who played at both Duke and Southern California.
"We play pretty fast," Christian said. "This year, with Derryck and Jay (Heath), we're going to go fast. We would've been able to play (three guards) with Wynston. This is a league where you have to score points, so you have to find easier opportunities."
Thornton checked almost every box for BC. As a two-year starter for USC, he identified as a distributor. He led the Trojans with 139 assists, fifth among all Pac-12 players, for a 4.3 assists-per-game average. He played seven games without committing a turnover, creating a more than 2:1 ratio for helpers. He wasn't primarily a shooter but still averaged 7.7 points per game, and he opened conference play last year with 13 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds - just shy of a triple-double. Â
And last night, he showed his ability to be the alpha guard on the Eagles, scoring a career-high 23 points to go along with four rebounds, two assists, and three steals in the 77-70 win over Wake Forest.
His college career began at Duke as the No. 11 overall recruit in the 2015 class. Thornton started at point guard in 20 of the Blue Devils' 36 games that year, helping lead the team to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament. The team went 15-5 in games he started that year, and he scored in double figures seven times with four games featuring five or more assists. He finished that season ranked No. 10 on the Duke freshman list of assists, but he decided after the year to transfer back home to Los Angeles to play for the Trojans, where he played two seasons before earning his undergraduate degree.
"One of the things that impressed me when we recruited him was how much he wanted to fit in," Christian said. "He wanted to go to know the guys really well. He got to know them and that was smart on his part. He wants to get better and that's why he came here."
Thornton unquestionably fills the gap left by Bowman's departure. BC's offense ticks through its point guard, and that player needs to distribute on the offensive end. Everyone's required to play in constant motion to create an open shot, so it needs to start with a player possessing court vision and selflessness. A point guard obviously needs to shoot, but the Eagles always play as the sum of its parts rather than relying on superstars.
"A lot of ways to score are in transition because we don't have the type of team that can bang in the post," Christian said. "We don't have that marquee guy that's going to create his own shot all the time, so we have to score in transition."
It's a system playing directly to Thornton's strengths. He's assimilated seamlessly into a leadership role for the Eagles, and he's already a trusted teammate. He can call on his history to identify situations, especially in the ACC, but there's a desire to make him a Boston College basketball component instead of a singular player.
"We're mission driven because that's going to help them here," Christian said. "If they come in here personally drive, it doesn't work out. Derryck understands that by coming in here, he can help us out short-term, and it's going to help him long-term. He's bought into that, and he's made it easy."
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