Eagles Putting Team Over Self On Road To Tournament Bubble
March 11, 2020 | Women's Basketball, #ForBoston Files
BC's success is owed to what happens behind the scenes, away from TV lights.
A basketball team's success depends on its ability to play together as one unit. Every factor requires constant synchronization with teammates learning from one another. The way a team meshes, from top to bottom, is why individual players experience success, and it's equally why wins roll from one week to another.
Boston College's women's basketball team exploded onto the national scene this month by gelling better than any other program in the country. The Eagles won often to push themselves up the ACC standings, and they exited the conference tournament as a clear bubble team ready to accept an NCAA Tournament bid.
The success led to individual accolades, but BC's players are all quick to point it out as a byproduct of the team's collective work. It goes well beyond what's seen on television, rooting instead in the sweat equity of practice time. It's where the Eagles push each other as a collective unit and where players who aren't usually on the court during game minutes shine as true MVPs of the program.
"It's great to have people that can put the team before themselves," head coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee said. "They love the game of basketball, and they want, like everyone does, to play in games. Not getting the playing time that they're working hard for could cause their morale to drop with negativity. But this success is the kind of success that we can have when everybody buys in as a team. When a team puts team before self, it's amazing what can be accomplished."
BC carries a wealth of experience in its depth, and it's capable of pushing the starters to new heights. Junior guards Milan Bolden-Morris and Sydney Lowery are former starters in their own right, and the experience enables them to challenge and develop backcourt players like Marnelle Garraud and Makayla Dickens.
"Any group of us can be in the same room, and we're going to have fun," Bolden-Morris said. "We show love and affection to each other equally. There are no cliques. There's a foundation of camaraderie and friendship, and everyone can tell how close we are off the court, when we're on the court. That's what's allowed us all to be so successful."
Bolden-Morris finished her rookie season as an All-ACC Freshman team selection as the third-leading scorer on the team with over 11 points per game. She quickly established herself as a shooting threat with double-figures in her first five games and carried momentum through a 20-point performance against Georgia Tech.Â
The next year, she played in all 30 games for a new coaching staff and transitioned into a new role, though she averaged 20 minutes against ACC opponents and lit up Virginia for 12 points in the ACC Tournament. It's helped her become more of a complete player that mimics an opponent's best scorer during BC's preparation for its next game.
"Having both sides makes it easy for people to understand me as a player," Bolden-Morris said. "It's what's cool about my story. I've been at the top (as a starter), and I can see the game from both perspectives. Regardless of how much I play, I know that I have the same work ethic, and my teammates respect that.Â
"If someone is struggling, I know I can talk to a teammate and let them lean on me," she said. "If someone is playing well, I know I can talk to them and explain how to hold people accountable. Having my whole story, from start to finish, allows me to play that role. Plus I believe the coaches can look to me, with my big personality, to be that leader."
Lowery went through a similar experience as Bolden-Morris' battery mate. She started 10 games during the 2017-18 season and averaged over 22 minutes per game. Lowery illustrated a particular knack for efficiency when she scored 19 points at Minnesota, then followed it up with a 7-for-13 shooting day a week later against Boston University. She remained a starter into the next season, playing that role in seven of the team's last 10 games, and she played 40 minutes in BC's double-overtime win over Duke at the end of January of last season.
"It was very different to come to college and play against players who had more experience, IQ and body strength," Lowery said. "I was able to adjust to it quickly by coming to campus early, but I hit a scoring slump when we hit ACC play. That was really the first time I lost minutes, so it was a shock to me. The same thing happened during my sophomore year.
"I know my minutes display can't impact the kind of person that I am," she said. "That's what my family taught me, and that doesn't change how hard I can work in the gym. I just have to continue to do what I can do, and it will work out for the best."
There are two types of reserve players, though. One group draws on experiences as former starters and educates through its own knowledge and ability to study a scout or film session. That group often can work with players in practice as coaches on the floor and are capable of seeing things on the fly at a different, more granular level than their teammates.
The second type of player is completely different. For almost two years, forward Clara Ford patiently awaited her turn on a roster bolstered by frontcourt depth. She came to BC knowing Emma Guy was an entrenched presence and understanding her role in the post would have to wait. So she's used her practice time as an opportunity to sponge lessons from assistant coach Yolanda Griffith while helping push Guy to All-ACC status this year.
"Clara really became more of a complete player this year, especially over the holidays," McNamee said. "Consequently, you can see how Emma's game really improved drastically from the beginning of the year to second semester. Her improvement correlates to Clara's ability to improve. Clara pushes Emma every day and makes her better. So without Clara improving, Emma doesn't improve."
For BC, the forward and center position is loaded with depth and talent. Emma Guy and Georgia Pineau both became 1,000-point scorers this year as seniors, and Taylor Soule earned the league's Most Improved Player Award. That limited the number of minutes available for her, though she still played 22 games last year and an additional 20 this year.
"My goal in practice at times is to bother (Emma) as much as possible," Ford said. "She knows that I'm doing it because I want to make her better for every game. At the end of the day, we can laugh about it and hug. It's out of love to benefit each other. We meet up with (Coach Griffith) at the end of practice to go over things, and it always comes back to a real family environment that we know benefits us."
She made the most of that time, averaging over two points and two rebounds in six minutes per game. Ford broke through to double figures this year against Delaware State with 10 points in 10 minutes and remains a strong presence in the locker room with the understanding she's one foul trouble game away from seeing more minutes with an opportunity to shine.
"I knew I was coming into a position that was already kind of filled," Ford said. "I didn't want to be on the bench, but I didn't let it push me to improve my role. This year, I realized that isn't something I wanted to do. I know I don't necessarily have the game experience, but that doesn't mean I can't push myself now. Being able to play against Emma, who is one of the best post players in the conference, is such a gift for daily competition. No matter what happens, I always know I have to stay ready. It's more than just cheering for teammates; it's staying engaged for teammates and staying ready to go in."
Coach McNamee arrived in Chestnut Hill with a mission to rebuild BC's style of play on the floor, and the product is on display each time the Eagles tip off against an opponent. This season saw the team finish the conference tournament as the highest-scoring team in the league. BC is one of the most lethal shooting teams, and its rebounding ranks among the best on both windows. The Eagles' ability to run the floor and to earn second chance points is why they have a certain bubble status entering Selection Monday.
It's not, however, a surprise. BC's depth players don't receive the same accolades in front of the bright lights, but this team's success is as much a part of their blue collar attitude as anyone else's. There's a shining beacon in what they do because they prepare, every day, like it's their last day on a basketball court. They study just as hard, if not harder, than anyone else, and they make the most of their minutes. Needing to call their numbers instills confidence necessary to create the whole package.
"Inside of practice, we can pull it together if we have a bad day," Lowery said. "When we realize we're not getting it together, we can pull ourselves in and get our game together. That's something that really changed for this year, for our team. The coaches aren't out on the court playing for us, so we talk a lot about accountability to do the things outside of practice to make our team better."
"Syd works every day to play as a lockdown defender," McNamee said. "She'll play as the other team's best player, and (Bolden-Morris) will play as the other team's best shooter. Clara is our opponent's big. When you have those players devoted to those roles and pushing teammates, they also are ready to go if anyone gets in foul trouble. They're making a difference every day in practice, which is sometimes what goes unseen, but that's what I love about them. They understand they might not be in the limelight, but they know they're physically and mentally gifted and ready."
Â
Boston College's women's basketball team exploded onto the national scene this month by gelling better than any other program in the country. The Eagles won often to push themselves up the ACC standings, and they exited the conference tournament as a clear bubble team ready to accept an NCAA Tournament bid.
The success led to individual accolades, but BC's players are all quick to point it out as a byproduct of the team's collective work. It goes well beyond what's seen on television, rooting instead in the sweat equity of practice time. It's where the Eagles push each other as a collective unit and where players who aren't usually on the court during game minutes shine as true MVPs of the program.
"It's great to have people that can put the team before themselves," head coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee said. "They love the game of basketball, and they want, like everyone does, to play in games. Not getting the playing time that they're working hard for could cause their morale to drop with negativity. But this success is the kind of success that we can have when everybody buys in as a team. When a team puts team before self, it's amazing what can be accomplished."
BC carries a wealth of experience in its depth, and it's capable of pushing the starters to new heights. Junior guards Milan Bolden-Morris and Sydney Lowery are former starters in their own right, and the experience enables them to challenge and develop backcourt players like Marnelle Garraud and Makayla Dickens.
"Any group of us can be in the same room, and we're going to have fun," Bolden-Morris said. "We show love and affection to each other equally. There are no cliques. There's a foundation of camaraderie and friendship, and everyone can tell how close we are off the court, when we're on the court. That's what's allowed us all to be so successful."Bolden-Morris finished her rookie season as an All-ACC Freshman team selection as the third-leading scorer on the team with over 11 points per game. She quickly established herself as a shooting threat with double-figures in her first five games and carried momentum through a 20-point performance against Georgia Tech.Â
The next year, she played in all 30 games for a new coaching staff and transitioned into a new role, though she averaged 20 minutes against ACC opponents and lit up Virginia for 12 points in the ACC Tournament. It's helped her become more of a complete player that mimics an opponent's best scorer during BC's preparation for its next game.
"Having both sides makes it easy for people to understand me as a player," Bolden-Morris said. "It's what's cool about my story. I've been at the top (as a starter), and I can see the game from both perspectives. Regardless of how much I play, I know that I have the same work ethic, and my teammates respect that.Â
"If someone is struggling, I know I can talk to a teammate and let them lean on me," she said. "If someone is playing well, I know I can talk to them and explain how to hold people accountable. Having my whole story, from start to finish, allows me to play that role. Plus I believe the coaches can look to me, with my big personality, to be that leader."
Lowery went through a similar experience as Bolden-Morris' battery mate. She started 10 games during the 2017-18 season and averaged over 22 minutes per game. Lowery illustrated a particular knack for efficiency when she scored 19 points at Minnesota, then followed it up with a 7-for-13 shooting day a week later against Boston University. She remained a starter into the next season, playing that role in seven of the team's last 10 games, and she played 40 minutes in BC's double-overtime win over Duke at the end of January of last season.
"It was very different to come to college and play against players who had more experience, IQ and body strength," Lowery said. "I was able to adjust to it quickly by coming to campus early, but I hit a scoring slump when we hit ACC play. That was really the first time I lost minutes, so it was a shock to me. The same thing happened during my sophomore year.
"I know my minutes display can't impact the kind of person that I am," she said. "That's what my family taught me, and that doesn't change how hard I can work in the gym. I just have to continue to do what I can do, and it will work out for the best."
There are two types of reserve players, though. One group draws on experiences as former starters and educates through its own knowledge and ability to study a scout or film session. That group often can work with players in practice as coaches on the floor and are capable of seeing things on the fly at a different, more granular level than their teammates.
The second type of player is completely different. For almost two years, forward Clara Ford patiently awaited her turn on a roster bolstered by frontcourt depth. She came to BC knowing Emma Guy was an entrenched presence and understanding her role in the post would have to wait. So she's used her practice time as an opportunity to sponge lessons from assistant coach Yolanda Griffith while helping push Guy to All-ACC status this year.
"Clara really became more of a complete player this year, especially over the holidays," McNamee said. "Consequently, you can see how Emma's game really improved drastically from the beginning of the year to second semester. Her improvement correlates to Clara's ability to improve. Clara pushes Emma every day and makes her better. So without Clara improving, Emma doesn't improve."
For BC, the forward and center position is loaded with depth and talent. Emma Guy and Georgia Pineau both became 1,000-point scorers this year as seniors, and Taylor Soule earned the league's Most Improved Player Award. That limited the number of minutes available for her, though she still played 22 games last year and an additional 20 this year.
"My goal in practice at times is to bother (Emma) as much as possible," Ford said. "She knows that I'm doing it because I want to make her better for every game. At the end of the day, we can laugh about it and hug. It's out of love to benefit each other. We meet up with (Coach Griffith) at the end of practice to go over things, and it always comes back to a real family environment that we know benefits us."
She made the most of that time, averaging over two points and two rebounds in six minutes per game. Ford broke through to double figures this year against Delaware State with 10 points in 10 minutes and remains a strong presence in the locker room with the understanding she's one foul trouble game away from seeing more minutes with an opportunity to shine.
"I knew I was coming into a position that was already kind of filled," Ford said. "I didn't want to be on the bench, but I didn't let it push me to improve my role. This year, I realized that isn't something I wanted to do. I know I don't necessarily have the game experience, but that doesn't mean I can't push myself now. Being able to play against Emma, who is one of the best post players in the conference, is such a gift for daily competition. No matter what happens, I always know I have to stay ready. It's more than just cheering for teammates; it's staying engaged for teammates and staying ready to go in."
Coach McNamee arrived in Chestnut Hill with a mission to rebuild BC's style of play on the floor, and the product is on display each time the Eagles tip off against an opponent. This season saw the team finish the conference tournament as the highest-scoring team in the league. BC is one of the most lethal shooting teams, and its rebounding ranks among the best on both windows. The Eagles' ability to run the floor and to earn second chance points is why they have a certain bubble status entering Selection Monday.
It's not, however, a surprise. BC's depth players don't receive the same accolades in front of the bright lights, but this team's success is as much a part of their blue collar attitude as anyone else's. There's a shining beacon in what they do because they prepare, every day, like it's their last day on a basketball court. They study just as hard, if not harder, than anyone else, and they make the most of their minutes. Needing to call their numbers instills confidence necessary to create the whole package.
"Inside of practice, we can pull it together if we have a bad day," Lowery said. "When we realize we're not getting it together, we can pull ourselves in and get our game together. That's something that really changed for this year, for our team. The coaches aren't out on the court playing for us, so we talk a lot about accountability to do the things outside of practice to make our team better."
"Syd works every day to play as a lockdown defender," McNamee said. "She'll play as the other team's best player, and (Bolden-Morris) will play as the other team's best shooter. Clara is our opponent's big. When you have those players devoted to those roles and pushing teammates, they also are ready to go if anyone gets in foul trouble. They're making a difference every day in practice, which is sometimes what goes unseen, but that's what I love about them. They understand they might not be in the limelight, but they know they're physically and mentally gifted and ready."
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