The BC Men’s Basketball Team Gave Up on Jim Christian Long Ago. Saturday’s Game Proved It.

In case you missed it, BC Men’s Basketball had quite the game this weekend to begin the post-Jim Christian era. A 94-90 win over Notre Dame, with leads in the game stretching to double-digits at times, had the Eagles looking better than they have been frankly all season. Not to mention the players on the court and by the bench all looked more hyped up than they ever have this year. Just take a look at this play for example:

I have, unfortunately, watched a lot of this team this year. I can tell you I had seen nothing even close to this energy up to this point. There were many more instances like this, too. Interim head coach Scott Spinelli had the Eagles playing on Saturday with a fire and passion that could’ve brought this team to at least a few more wins this year, which just becomes more damning of Jim Christian’s coaching abilities. And this was all despite the team’s continuing COVID problems and a depleted roster.

This team gave up on Jim Christian. If it wasn’t clear before, it certainly is now. Saturday’s game, even if it ends up being an anomaly, has shown us that this team is capable of so much more under the right leadership. Jim Christian couldn’t get them to hustle for loose balls like they did on Saturday. Jim Christian couldn’t get them to fight hard for rebounds like they did on Saturday. Jim Christian couldn’t get them to take care of possessions like they did on Saturday. And Jim Christian, most of all, couldn’t get them to play with the amount of heart that they played with on Saturday.

I’m not saying Scott Spinelli is necessarily the answer. But when looking at candidates for this job, I hope the decision-makers are paying attention to how teams are looking on the sidelines and in the locker room. Because it is becoming increasingly obvious that it wasn’t just the game-planning that did Jim Christian in, it was the culture-building as well. Boston College needs to hire someone that can put a jolt back into this program and bring back the hustle. Looking at what Spinelli did on Saturday, it’s obvious that these changes are immediately achievable and the BC Men’s Basketball program is not doomed. They just need the right leadership. And, eventually, some better players.