Pre-Season Top 25

[eepstein0]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/rankings?pollId=2

We got 4 votes yet GT and Clemson are ranked.

[BCMcG]

Where is ObserverCollege to tell us about the importance of 5-star recruits? Sure Georgia Tech was 2-14 in the ACC last year. But they recruited Derrick Favors and several other prep talents. BC didn't bring in ANY recruits. BC might as well just forfeit.

Georgia Tech is going to repeat their magical 2006-07 season, when Javaris Crittendon and Thaddeus Young led the team to a first-round loss in the NCAA tournament. After the season, Favors and Gawal (and maybe Shumpert, too) will enter the draft and it's back to 2-14. Nice system.

[eepstein0]

Welcome to the Paul Hewitt school of coaching.

[auggiebc]

This is fine. The 4 votes show that at least we are on the radar. We win a few games early and we'll break the top 25 well before conference play starts.

[bcbcbcbcbc4444]

alright! right behind san diego st and creighton

[EagleNYC]

This also sets the sports writers up for their standard February columns about how BC is a big surprise after being overlooked. Hey, AP, is this about right

EAGLES SOAR ABOVE EXPECTATIONS

2/5/10- CHESTNUT HILL, MA

At Conte Forum tomorrow, #19 Boston College (17-3, 6-2 ACC) will have a packed house to welcome ACC rivals and AP #5 Duke for a rematch of their epic January showdown at Cameron Indoor Stadium. After being picked to finish 9th in the 12 team ACC, the Eagles have capitalized upon a renewed defensive emphasis and the emergence of several juniors to sit within striking distance of the Blue Devils atop the ACC standings.

Headed into this season, the Eagles were desperate to replace the scoring, leadership and star-power of Tyrese Rice, their dymanic point guard who graduated last spring. With just one returning senior, the young Eagles were dismissed by the experts as an also ran in the ACC race. This is a familiar story for Boston College, as they have recently dealt with the departures of Craig Smith and Jared Dudley for the NBA. But once again, Al Skinner has his Golden Eagles poised to debunk the critics.

"We knew what we had coming into the season" said Skinner. "Ours core guys have played together for two seasons against tough competition, and they always believed that they were winners." The core Skinner referred to includes Juniors Joe Trapani, Rakim Sanders and Josh Southern, a trio that has terrorized opponents with their scoring and physical defense. Their efforts, along with the surprising emergence of sophomore Reggie Jackson as an instant offensive sparkplug off the bench has been the recipe for winning basketball at the Heights. Despite failing to recruit a single freshman to fill out the roster, Skinner's team has posted impressive out of conference victories over Providence, Michigan and Purdue.

Does the coach feel vindicated with a top 25 ranking after the pre-season polls disrespected them? "We don't pay any attention to pre-season polls. When we play our game, we are a difficult opponent for our competition. At the same time, we've just began conference play so there are still many games left."

But time and time again, the Eagles have proven the doubters wrong. They'll look to continue their work against the vaunted Blue Devils.

[BCMcG]

Nice inclusion of "Golden Eagles"

[auggiebc]

Nonconference SOS looking nasty based on these rankings.

could potentially face Purdue and Tenn in the Paradise Jam, with scheduled games at Mich, at Prov and South Carolina.

[Heights]

I don't see BC being very good this year, losing Rice is a big problem. Best thing going for us is the ACC is still a two-team league, outside of the top level no one is going to run away.

It's almost impossible to picture this team as the offense revolved around Rice and on defense the other team always had several guys chasing Rice around and as Clemson figured out could tire him out of the game with fullcourt pressure.

We'll see if Rakim and Reggie can continue to score with more attention; Biko is an average ACC guard at best with a line-drive shot with no arc so has to be wide open. He'll have to play every minute though since there is zero depth at his position. If he can just walk it up and not turn the ball over we'll at least be ok.

I don't think Sanders will be helped by increased attention; I hope he has spent alot of time working on dribble penetration. He would be helped by Al going more up-tempo instead of walk it up like last year, he would be dangerous in a smaller lineup, but don't think we have the pieces. I hate the slow tempo but we're going to be a big physical team this year.

Frontcourt is going to be beating teams up on both ends but have no reliable offensive skills except for Raji's unbelievable knack for getting offensive rebounds, really amazing thing to watch. Looks like BJ ate all his meals growing up but there he is getting offensive rebound again and again among much bigger and more athletic players. An Al-type player for sure.

Trapani could be a killer standing on the perimeter at 6'8" dropping in 3s but he seemed to lose confidence in his outside shot for games at a time. He will make or break us as a contender I think.

[doteagle]

Love Tyrice- however, this year, Eagles will be better for the loss.

[EagleNYC]

I don't see BC being very good this year, losing Rice is a big problem. Best thing going for us is the ACC is still a two-team league, outside of the top level no one is going to run away.

It's almost impossible to picture this team as the offense revolved around Rice and on defense the other team always had several guys chasing Rice around and as Clemson figured out could tire him out of the game with fullcourt pressure.

We'll see if Rakim and Reggie can continue to score with more attention; Biko is an average ACC guard at best with a line-drive shot with no arc so has to be wide open. He'll have to play every minute though since there is zero depth at his position. If he can just walk it up and not turn the ball over we'll at least be ok.

I don't think Sanders will be helped by increased attention; I hope he has spent alot of time working on dribble penetration. He would be helped by Al going more up-tempo instead of walk it up like last year, he would be dangerous in a smaller lineup, but don't think we have the pieces. I hate the slow tempo but we're going to be a big physical team this year.

Frontcourt is going to be beating teams up on both ends but have no reliable offensive skills except for Raji's unbelievable knack for getting offensive rebounds, really amazing thing to watch. Looks like BJ ate all his meals growing up but there he is getting offensive rebound again and again among much bigger and more athletic players. An Al-type player for sure.

Trapani could be a killer standing on the perimeter at 6'8" dropping in 3s but he seemed to lose confidence in his outside shot for games at a time. He will make or break us as a contender I think.

I think you've got it all wrong because the offensive gameplan will be far more fluid in terms of scoring options. Defenses won't be able to key on a single player because Trapani, Sanders and Jackson will all look for their shots. Let's not overlook Sanders' best performances: big games and the final minutes. I think Southern is the key because our frontcourt is beret of a scoring option in the post, other than Raji's putbacks.

[EagleNYC]

...I think Southern is the key because our frontcourt is beret of a scoring option in the post, other than Raji's putbacks.

super truth! if nothing else, southern needs to stay out of foul trouble and keep himself on the court. i stand by my previous suggestion that each and every perimeter foul committed by southern should result in an immediate hook from the game and concurrent kick in the goodies from the player of handsome's choice.

Maybe we can find a new PK for football squad that way.

[cvilleagle]

That "article" could be word-for-word.

[apbc12]

Heights = Brad Zak

[twballgame9]

I don't see BC being very good this year, losing Rice is a big problem. Best thing going for us is the ACC is still a two-team league, outside of the top level no one is going to run away.

It's almost impossible to picture this team as the offense revolved around Rice and on defense the other team always had several guys chasing Rice around and as Clemson figured out could tire him out of the game with fullcourt pressure.

We'll see if Rakim and Reggie can continue to score with more attention; Biko is an average ACC guard at best with a line-drive shot with no arc so has to be wide open. He'll have to play every minute though since there is zero depth at his position. If he can just walk it up and not turn the ball over we'll at least be ok.

I don't think Sanders will be helped by increased attention; I hope he has spent alot of time working on dribble penetration. He would be helped by Al going more up-tempo instead of walk it up like last year, he would be dangerous in a smaller lineup, but don't think we have the pieces. I hate the slow tempo but we're going to be a big physical team this year.

Frontcourt is going to be beating teams up on both ends but have no reliable offensive skills except for Raji's unbelievable knack for getting offensive rebounds, really amazing thing to watch. Looks like BJ ate all his meals growing up but there he is getting offensive rebound again and again among much bigger and more athletic players. An Al-type player for sure.

Trapani could be a killer standing on the perimeter at 6'8" dropping in 3s but he seemed to lose confidence in his outside shot for games at a time. He will make or break us as a contender I think.

And therein lies the problem with last year's team. Can't wait to see this team with the anchor gone.

[Heights]

I'm a huge Southern fan, one of my favorite players because of his hustle, attitude, and an ultimate team player. Leaves it all on the court. I can't remember a big man that could run from one end of the court to another as fast as he does, beats guards sometimes up and down. I just think he'll be a 20-25 minute guy with the depth in the frontcourt they have and (so far) a lack of a reliable game on the post. And of course the foul trouble.

Weird combination; fastest big man in a straight line I've seen in a long time but has the absolute slowest feet ever side to side which makes him clumsy defensively unless in a zone. He moves like a mini Artis Gilmore, he's got Gilmore's slow feet without the little jumpers and hooks.

[mezmrin]

i went and watched the Clemson play friday night. we looked sloppy but a couple of our freshmen looked really good. some new names... Noel Johnson was awesome. he's really tall for a guard (6'6" maybe) and can shoot. Milton Jennings is a guy with talent that tries as hard as he can at all times. donte hill and devin booker are our other freshmen but they weren't nearly as impressive friday night.