Boston College Athletics
Game One, Go!
November 25, 2020 | Women's Basketball, #ForBoston Files
The crossroads of what could have been and what will become starts today
The last image of Boston College's women's basketball team's semifinal run through the ACC Tournament was never intended to linger. It wasn't the end of the season for the Eagles, and the NCAA Tournament beckoned with their first appearance bid in 14 years. They weren't ready for the year to end, and they certainly didn't expect their last game to play out on the court in the Greensboro Coliseum.
The COVID-19 pandemic had other plans, and the week after BC's loss to NC State slammed the door on the team's national stage. It canceled the postseason with a sense of wonder, and the sadness and disappointment hung for months as uncertainty swirled around a return to the hardwoods.
"We were devastated (in the spring)," junior Makayla Dickens said. "We were silent, and we knew that we had such a special season. I knew that we were going to the tournament for the first time, and we all just came together and cried. We had a few days left as a team, so we just hung out for those final three days. We said our goodbyes and kept in contact, but it was surreal (how) it all came crashing down."
Last season's disappointing end compounded the questions surrounding what could have been, but the next chapter begins today. The ambiguity clouding the summer will break, and stormy fall skies will clear to the golden hues of a new season's sunshine when the Eagles step on the Conte Forum court and start their next quest for the national spotlight in a non-conference game against New Hampshire.
"Getting the news that we got the signed contract (with UNH) felt like early Christmas," head coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee said. "We're super excited to play on Wednesday, but I'm going to knock on wood (pending COVID-19 testing). Having that game at noon is a great time because recruits and families that we would bring in (to watch) don't have school that day, so hopefully everyone is able to tune into the ACC Network online and watch us play."
Arriving at opening tip is an accomplishment and tribute to the basketball team's day-to-day readiness, but appreciation runs deeper than BC's everyday preparation. The game itself illustrates the sacred trust between teammates and staff members and highlights the sacrifices made by everyone from the starting five down to the support staff and practice players.
It's a shared vision cresting into reality, and it emphasizes the elevated criticality of recent days. Game day drawing nearer brought the very best in dedication to the Eagles, all of whom recognized the need to take further care before stepping on the court. The screenings and protocols were somehow even more important than the previous day, and passing tests individually heightened the energy brought to the time on the court.
"You could feel the excitement level change over these last four or five days, knowing there's a game right around the corner," McNamee said. "(The team) has been practicing hard since they got on campus, but sometimes there's a lull when you're practicing and don't know if there's a game in sight. Being able to say that four more days are left or five days are left really revved them up, and you can tell their excited juices are flowing. They're ready to play."
"The atmosphere has been really energetic," junior Taylor Soule said. "We're working on ourselves and what we can work better on. We can hone in on outside defense and the things that help us win a game. We're excited to play against someone that isn't on our team or our practice guys."
That first game is a turning point and a crossroads for BC's overall path. In many ways, it represents a culmination of the work done over the summer during quarantine when players scattered to every basketball corner of the globe, and it's the end of the scary road across the initial outbreak and angst-filled summer months. In many other ways, though, it's still just the beginning of the anxiety-fueled season unlike anything else any player or coach is prepared to attack.
Wednesday is BC's first game during a week when the Eagles normally would travel or play their last remaining non-conference games to sharpen their sabre-rattling skills for the rest of the ACC. Instead, it's their first game of the season and one of only four non-conference games amidst a fluid, shifting schedule, and it's a critical piece of the national puzzle if they hope to return to the NCAA's promised land.
"It's more about what we would put into this point," McNamee said. "You would save things knowing Christmas break allows you to work on some things, and you want to keep some things up your sleeve at least until conference play starts. We don't have much time to iron out kinks, so we probably are putting in more things leading up to the UNH game than we normally would. Working out schemes, I hope with UNH, we're able to look at different lineups and different people. It should be a fun and interesting game."
The factors make the Wildcats a wild card for new head coach Kelsey Hogan. The former All-America East First Team guard became the head coach of her alma mater in August following Maureen Magarity's departure to Holy Cross, and she retains a youthful team with experience in its underclass ranks. One senior graces the roster, and five sophomores give UNH a vibe very much reminiscent of last year's BC breakout.
Those returning pieces finished under .500 last year, but the non-conference play battle tested UNH prior to its fifth place finish in the America East Conference. The team hung with Stony Brook in both of its games before ultimately losing both, and a near-miss against Binghamton in the season finale sent the Wildcats on a return trip to New York for the conference tournament less than a week later.
"They ran a 2-3 zone (last year)," McNamee said, "and that's really hard to replicate in practice because it's not necessarily a defense that we play. We have a good group of scout guys, but they really just want to play offense. Being able to navigate the zone offense and attack a zone defense, they guard on-ball screen and change up a lot on defense, and they can throw a 1-3-1 or something we've never seen. For us, we have to control the controllables, which is to dominate the boards on the offensive and defensive ends and push tempo."
"They have a lot of shooters," Dickens said. "We have to get out on the shooters, and the big focus for them will be at point guard. They like to score and get the ball at the top of the key, so we have to make sure we get under their screens in time to cut (plays) off. Transition defense is our main (goal).
"When teams run zone, things are easier to see," she added. "There will always be some gaps in the middle, or if you dribble-drive, you have the pass to the short corners. It's easier to pass against a zone defense, but even against a man, I think I've matured in my game, and I'm more patient to see one or two passes ahead so we don't force things."
That will require a seamless transition into an offense that shouldn't change all that much from last year. Four starters return to the BC lineup, and a lack of on-floor experience at center is easily compensated by a combination of skilled players and a deeper bench. The offense will debut new looks with freshman point guard Kaylah Ivey, but returners like Dickens, Soule, Marnelle Garraud and Cameron Swartz will buoy the enhancements of junior Clara Ford and sophomore Jaelyn Batts.
"(Clara's) really improved technically on her balance," McNamee said. "She's more balanced as a basketball player and can get gritty on rebounding. She can make counter moves and keep her footwork together. What I'm really impressed with is her confidence. She's in the best shape that she's had for the last three years, and she took care of (conditioning) during the COVID period. Knowing the offense and understanding the void that she's battled with Emma (Guy) over the past two to three years, she's ready to step up and fill those shoes."
"I go back to Jaelyn," Soule said. "Last year, she dominated, but we saw glimpses of the kind of player she could become. Over quarantine and in practice, she gained confidence in what she can do. Her role is to score the basketball and do her thing on defense. She's more of an upperclassman and is vocal and confident in her abilities. I'm really excited to see the experience that she has."
Boston College will host New Hampshire at noon at Conte Forum. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, games will be held without fans with only essential personnel and credentialed media permitted to attend. The game will be televised as part of the ACC Network Extra package on ESPN's online platform.
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The COVID-19 pandemic had other plans, and the week after BC's loss to NC State slammed the door on the team's national stage. It canceled the postseason with a sense of wonder, and the sadness and disappointment hung for months as uncertainty swirled around a return to the hardwoods.
"We were devastated (in the spring)," junior Makayla Dickens said. "We were silent, and we knew that we had such a special season. I knew that we were going to the tournament for the first time, and we all just came together and cried. We had a few days left as a team, so we just hung out for those final three days. We said our goodbyes and kept in contact, but it was surreal (how) it all came crashing down."
Last season's disappointing end compounded the questions surrounding what could have been, but the next chapter begins today. The ambiguity clouding the summer will break, and stormy fall skies will clear to the golden hues of a new season's sunshine when the Eagles step on the Conte Forum court and start their next quest for the national spotlight in a non-conference game against New Hampshire.
"Getting the news that we got the signed contract (with UNH) felt like early Christmas," head coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee said. "We're super excited to play on Wednesday, but I'm going to knock on wood (pending COVID-19 testing). Having that game at noon is a great time because recruits and families that we would bring in (to watch) don't have school that day, so hopefully everyone is able to tune into the ACC Network online and watch us play."
Arriving at opening tip is an accomplishment and tribute to the basketball team's day-to-day readiness, but appreciation runs deeper than BC's everyday preparation. The game itself illustrates the sacred trust between teammates and staff members and highlights the sacrifices made by everyone from the starting five down to the support staff and practice players.
It's a shared vision cresting into reality, and it emphasizes the elevated criticality of recent days. Game day drawing nearer brought the very best in dedication to the Eagles, all of whom recognized the need to take further care before stepping on the court. The screenings and protocols were somehow even more important than the previous day, and passing tests individually heightened the energy brought to the time on the court.
"You could feel the excitement level change over these last four or five days, knowing there's a game right around the corner," McNamee said. "(The team) has been practicing hard since they got on campus, but sometimes there's a lull when you're practicing and don't know if there's a game in sight. Being able to say that four more days are left or five days are left really revved them up, and you can tell their excited juices are flowing. They're ready to play."
"The atmosphere has been really energetic," junior Taylor Soule said. "We're working on ourselves and what we can work better on. We can hone in on outside defense and the things that help us win a game. We're excited to play against someone that isn't on our team or our practice guys."
That first game is a turning point and a crossroads for BC's overall path. In many ways, it represents a culmination of the work done over the summer during quarantine when players scattered to every basketball corner of the globe, and it's the end of the scary road across the initial outbreak and angst-filled summer months. In many other ways, though, it's still just the beginning of the anxiety-fueled season unlike anything else any player or coach is prepared to attack.
Wednesday is BC's first game during a week when the Eagles normally would travel or play their last remaining non-conference games to sharpen their sabre-rattling skills for the rest of the ACC. Instead, it's their first game of the season and one of only four non-conference games amidst a fluid, shifting schedule, and it's a critical piece of the national puzzle if they hope to return to the NCAA's promised land.
"It's more about what we would put into this point," McNamee said. "You would save things knowing Christmas break allows you to work on some things, and you want to keep some things up your sleeve at least until conference play starts. We don't have much time to iron out kinks, so we probably are putting in more things leading up to the UNH game than we normally would. Working out schemes, I hope with UNH, we're able to look at different lineups and different people. It should be a fun and interesting game."
The factors make the Wildcats a wild card for new head coach Kelsey Hogan. The former All-America East First Team guard became the head coach of her alma mater in August following Maureen Magarity's departure to Holy Cross, and she retains a youthful team with experience in its underclass ranks. One senior graces the roster, and five sophomores give UNH a vibe very much reminiscent of last year's BC breakout.
Those returning pieces finished under .500 last year, but the non-conference play battle tested UNH prior to its fifth place finish in the America East Conference. The team hung with Stony Brook in both of its games before ultimately losing both, and a near-miss against Binghamton in the season finale sent the Wildcats on a return trip to New York for the conference tournament less than a week later.
"They ran a 2-3 zone (last year)," McNamee said, "and that's really hard to replicate in practice because it's not necessarily a defense that we play. We have a good group of scout guys, but they really just want to play offense. Being able to navigate the zone offense and attack a zone defense, they guard on-ball screen and change up a lot on defense, and they can throw a 1-3-1 or something we've never seen. For us, we have to control the controllables, which is to dominate the boards on the offensive and defensive ends and push tempo."
"They have a lot of shooters," Dickens said. "We have to get out on the shooters, and the big focus for them will be at point guard. They like to score and get the ball at the top of the key, so we have to make sure we get under their screens in time to cut (plays) off. Transition defense is our main (goal).
"When teams run zone, things are easier to see," she added. "There will always be some gaps in the middle, or if you dribble-drive, you have the pass to the short corners. It's easier to pass against a zone defense, but even against a man, I think I've matured in my game, and I'm more patient to see one or two passes ahead so we don't force things."
That will require a seamless transition into an offense that shouldn't change all that much from last year. Four starters return to the BC lineup, and a lack of on-floor experience at center is easily compensated by a combination of skilled players and a deeper bench. The offense will debut new looks with freshman point guard Kaylah Ivey, but returners like Dickens, Soule, Marnelle Garraud and Cameron Swartz will buoy the enhancements of junior Clara Ford and sophomore Jaelyn Batts.
"(Clara's) really improved technically on her balance," McNamee said. "She's more balanced as a basketball player and can get gritty on rebounding. She can make counter moves and keep her footwork together. What I'm really impressed with is her confidence. She's in the best shape that she's had for the last three years, and she took care of (conditioning) during the COVID period. Knowing the offense and understanding the void that she's battled with Emma (Guy) over the past two to three years, she's ready to step up and fill those shoes."
"I go back to Jaelyn," Soule said. "Last year, she dominated, but we saw glimpses of the kind of player she could become. Over quarantine and in practice, she gained confidence in what she can do. Her role is to score the basketball and do her thing on defense. She's more of an upperclassman and is vocal and confident in her abilities. I'm really excited to see the experience that she has."
Boston College will host New Hampshire at noon at Conte Forum. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, games will be held without fans with only essential personnel and credentialed media permitted to attend. The game will be televised as part of the ACC Network Extra package on ESPN's online platform.
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Players Mentioned
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