DeMarr Langford Leads Boston College Offense
The chance to play division one basketball is a dream of many young men. DeMarr Langford is living that dream and plays with his older brother Makai Ashton-Langford for Boston College. To do that with your brother mixes joy with a competitive spirit borne of the thousands of hours growing up and pushing each other to be the very best.
At a long six-foot five inches tall, Langford has length and a glide to his game with long strides and hands that stress dribble control and passing accuracy. His game is in control, staying within the bounds of offensive sets, making defense switches, and applying pressure on the opponent as they venture up the court. He lets his game do the talking as he beckons his opponent on defense to bring it on and mix it up physically. The hours of play with his brother have prepared him for almost any shake-and-bake move, deke, or bump in an attempt to make space. It serves him game in game out.
Langford has a strong sense of when to stay on the ground as opponents attempt to get him off the ground as they go up for a shot only to bring it back down. No one will make Langford look foolish quickly as he sees that as his job on opponents every time down the court. He is learning the defensive ways of this Boston College squad where winning starts with defense and taking care of the ball.
Offensively, Langford’s savvy ball-handling skills carry a low dribble and cross-over move that is hard to reach and even harder to defend. A look around at college basketball sees movement towards more length at the guard position, and he is the prototype any team needs at 195 pounds.
As a starter, Langford's time on the court has shown a proficient scorer as he averages a team-high fourteen points per game at home and an overall twelve-point average in eight games. He is on the court for thirty-six out of forty minutes and strives to make all of them count. That is clear with a stat line that reveals he shoots almost fifty percent from the floor. Eyes open even more to see a fifty percent three-point field goal average that extends the floor. In future games, the Eagles will look to improve ball screens to get number five more open looks.
Assists represent one area of opportunity for Langford. He and his brother Makai Ashton-Langford both love to drive when the opportunity comes. His 2.3 assists per game average show that the Eagles have yet to take full advantage of his quick and graceful movement. Space in the paint is simply not there often enough for him to drop a pass or dish off and too often forces him to send the ball back outside.
The Eagles will improve their scoring average if their “bigs” follow the ball to the basket with open space and avoid watching the play unfold. You are rarely in the right place if standing still as teammates drive along the baseline or go up from outside. They must move better to make space or position themselves for a rebound.
Watch the Eagles squad mature, and his assists per game increase as the team gains a greater sense of Langford's offensive game. Assists and foul shooting are one of only several statistics where DeMarr trails his brother. No doubt the second-year player has noticed. Even wearing the same jersey, a sense of competitiveness remains, in this case no doubt as a form of brotherly love.
