Boston College and its new coach are looking to turn the program around

Following a disappointing season in which the team finished second to last in the conference, Boston College (8-24, 4-14 ACC) is hoping that significant changes in the program will inspire future success.

But the one change the team couldn’t afford was losing its premier playmaker, Olivier Hanlan, to the NBA.

“I was pretty close (to leaving),” said Hanlan, who was the ACC’s third-leading scorer in 2013-14 with 18.5 points per game. “It was pretty crazy last year in terms of having a coach get fired, certain players leaving. I feel like that would be crazy for any player.”

But after flirting with early entry into the draft, the Eagles’ top scorer said returning for his junior year gave him the best situation to improve.

Improvement has defined the do-it-all guard’s career. After receiving only a few scholarships as a three-star recruit out of Canada, Hanlan burst onto the scene as a freshman, winning the 2012-13 ACC Freshman of the Year award.

He followed it up with an All-ACC Third Team spot as a sophomore, finishing top two on the team in points, assists, rebounds, steals and minutes.

Yet despite his breakout performance, the ACC’s leading returning scorer remains overlooked.

“I’m kind of used to having that — people underrating me or not looking at me as much as at other players,” Hanlan said. “I use it as motivation and it’s kind of a chip on my shoulder, to be honest.”

Despite feeling underappreciated, Hanlan’s impact did not go unnoticed by newly-hired coach Jim Christian, who knew that securing the young star’s commitment to return was pivotal to his new team’s success.

“He’s got the attitude that you’d want for a great player,” Christian said. “He’s a guy that can score the ball, and he’s great in the open floor. But he’s also a guy that can get other people shots.”

While Christian was able to retain the Eagle’s best player, other key contributors didn’t follow suit. With forward Ryan Anderson and point guard Joe Rahon — the team’s respective leaders in rebounds and assists — both moving on, the coaching staff is making changes to replace the transfers’ production.

Rahon’s departure has forced Hanlan into assuming full-time point guard duties, something he feels quite comfortable with.

“Not playing with another point guard, it’ll be a lot easier for me,” Hanlan said. “It’ll be a lot easier on my teammates, too — not having to adapt to two different types of point guards.”

Anderson’s absence opens the door for the return of 7-foot-1 Dennis Clifford, who missed nearly all of the 2013-14 season with a knee injury.

“He’s a guy that can run the floor unbelievably well; he’s got great hands, he has great touch, he has good feel,” Christian said. “To see him play pain-free basketball and enjoy the game has been rewarding.”

Christian, the winningest coach in Mid-American Conference history, has emphasized defense to complement an efficient yet slow-moving offense, which finished ninth in the ACC in field goal percentage but last in shots attempted.

“In terms of efficiency, we had one of the top offenses in the ACC,” Hanlan said. “If we can just focus on defense and get those little stops and get five or six more shots a game ... We’ll improve a lot.”

After dropping nine games decided by four points or less, Christian brought in two fifth-year transfers — Southern Mississippi forward Aaron Brown and Old Dominion guard Dimitri Batten — to bolster an already veteran-laden team.

“They’ve changed our culture because they’re competitive guys who have won,” Christian said. “They’ve influenced practice and we’re establishing the habits that we want.”

Despite low expectations, Christian is hoping the offseason changes can propel the Eagles to their first NCAA tournament bid since 2009.

“Sometimes when there’s changes, guys emerge,” Christian said. “They get a different outlook, maybe a clean slate or maybe a part of their game emerges that didn’t emerge in the past.

“And I think we have some of that, which is exciting.”

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