Boston College Athletics
Photo by: John Quackenbos
DeMarr's New Era As BC Debuts With Win
November 11, 2021 | Men's Basketball, #ForBoston Files
Langford scored a game-high 16 points in the season-opening win over Dartmouth
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- Tuesday night's season opener against Dartmouth was a series of firsts for both Boston College and the Big Green. It was the first true separation from the COVID-19 season, after fans returned to Conte Forum for the first time since before the pandemic hit. It was the first game for Dartmouth after a 600-plus day wait following the Ivy League's decision to sit out the 2020-21 season. It was Earl Grant's debut as head coach at BC and it was the first game for a number of new players who arrived this year with the hope of impacting their program's future fortunes.
It was not DeMarr Langford Jr.'s first rodeo, but the lack of a traditional true freshman season made the BC sophomore feel like it was a do-over for his college basketball debut. Now wearing No. 5 in honor of former high school teammate Terrence Clarke, Langford scored a game-high 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting with five rebounds as BC won Grant's first game as head coach of the Eagles.
"I think the thing I try to focus on the most is my IQ - being in the right spot and making the right plays," Langford said. "It's about making my team better and having the right mindset on the court, not getting into my own head before shooting the next shot and the next open shot. My game is about making a nice play, and especially on defense, getting stops and talking."
Langford Jr.'s performance was something of a breakout after an up-and-down season in his first year at The Heights. The consensus Top-100 recruit earned only one start in BC's first nine games last year - scoring seven points in a 69-64 win over Rhode Island. He earned the start and shined in a road game at Duke in early January, but the final weeks of the season were marked by COVID pauses and upheaval within the program.
"Last year was tough, especially not having the summer session," Langford said. "This year, we really bonded over the time that we had off. School wasn't difficult for me, so I had a lot of time to bond with my guys, and we didn't have that last year. That was probably one of our biggest downfalls. Coming from all these other places, we use summer to bond and ball while working out. That's time to play together in open gyms and getting to learn each other's tendencies."
It was part of an overall maturation process that brought Langford Jr. success in BC's first game of the season. He helped BC shoot over 57 percent in the first half while defensively holding the Big Green to six made field goals on 27 attempts. Dartmouth shot 2-for-14 from beyond the arc and was denied fast break points and second chance opportunities, the latter due to the 10 defensive rebounds by him and his brother, Makai Ashton-Langford.
"This new system rearranged my mindset," Langford Jr. said. "Coach Grant connects with us on a personal level, and he's brought in a new staff that connects with us. We talk about teams like Clemson and always talk about how really gritty they were, especially on the defensive end. They were always talking, always communicating."
Langford Jr. was on another level, and he looked more relaxed than ever after playing in a more normal environment. Tuesday's opener was his first college basketball game in front of fans and the first game in front of fans since Brewster Academy beat Hargrave Military Academy in the 2020 National Prep Championship Tournament semifinals, 97-78. The Bobcats were expected to play Putnam Science Academy one day later for the national title, but COVID-19's arrival and shutdown resulted in an initial postponement and eventual cancellation of the game with each team sharing the banner.
"It seems so long ago," he said, "because you look back and think. I'm 20 years old now, and I was 17 or 18 years old when I last played in front of fans. I'm new to having fans and the amount of people that come to these games at this level, it's a little scary to think about for kids coming in now from different schools, no matter the age or grade. It's why we have to rally together and understand the job and get it done."
BC returns to the court on Friday night when it hosts Holy Cross for the 113th meeting between the two longtime rivals. The matchup, which dates back to 1906 and has been played regularly since 1921, tips off at 7 p.m. from Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill and is part of the Sunshine Slam event that continues at the end of the month in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The game can be seen on the ACC Network Extra via ESPN's online streaming platforms with radio broadcast available on WEEI 850 AM.
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It was not DeMarr Langford Jr.'s first rodeo, but the lack of a traditional true freshman season made the BC sophomore feel like it was a do-over for his college basketball debut. Now wearing No. 5 in honor of former high school teammate Terrence Clarke, Langford scored a game-high 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting with five rebounds as BC won Grant's first game as head coach of the Eagles.
"I think the thing I try to focus on the most is my IQ - being in the right spot and making the right plays," Langford said. "It's about making my team better and having the right mindset on the court, not getting into my own head before shooting the next shot and the next open shot. My game is about making a nice play, and especially on defense, getting stops and talking."
Langford Jr.'s performance was something of a breakout after an up-and-down season in his first year at The Heights. The consensus Top-100 recruit earned only one start in BC's first nine games last year - scoring seven points in a 69-64 win over Rhode Island. He earned the start and shined in a road game at Duke in early January, but the final weeks of the season were marked by COVID pauses and upheaval within the program.
"Last year was tough, especially not having the summer session," Langford said. "This year, we really bonded over the time that we had off. School wasn't difficult for me, so I had a lot of time to bond with my guys, and we didn't have that last year. That was probably one of our biggest downfalls. Coming from all these other places, we use summer to bond and ball while working out. That's time to play together in open gyms and getting to learn each other's tendencies."
It was part of an overall maturation process that brought Langford Jr. success in BC's first game of the season. He helped BC shoot over 57 percent in the first half while defensively holding the Big Green to six made field goals on 27 attempts. Dartmouth shot 2-for-14 from beyond the arc and was denied fast break points and second chance opportunities, the latter due to the 10 defensive rebounds by him and his brother, Makai Ashton-Langford.
"This new system rearranged my mindset," Langford Jr. said. "Coach Grant connects with us on a personal level, and he's brought in a new staff that connects with us. We talk about teams like Clemson and always talk about how really gritty they were, especially on the defensive end. They were always talking, always communicating."
Langford Jr. was on another level, and he looked more relaxed than ever after playing in a more normal environment. Tuesday's opener was his first college basketball game in front of fans and the first game in front of fans since Brewster Academy beat Hargrave Military Academy in the 2020 National Prep Championship Tournament semifinals, 97-78. The Bobcats were expected to play Putnam Science Academy one day later for the national title, but COVID-19's arrival and shutdown resulted in an initial postponement and eventual cancellation of the game with each team sharing the banner.
"It seems so long ago," he said, "because you look back and think. I'm 20 years old now, and I was 17 or 18 years old when I last played in front of fans. I'm new to having fans and the amount of people that come to these games at this level, it's a little scary to think about for kids coming in now from different schools, no matter the age or grade. It's why we have to rally together and understand the job and get it done."
BC returns to the court on Friday night when it hosts Holy Cross for the 113th meeting between the two longtime rivals. The matchup, which dates back to 1906 and has been played regularly since 1921, tips off at 7 p.m. from Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill and is part of the Sunshine Slam event that continues at the end of the month in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The game can be seen on the ACC Network Extra via ESPN's online streaming platforms with radio broadcast available on WEEI 850 AM.
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