Boston College Makes a Score

New England Recruiting Report | Monday, October 24th, 2011

Steve Donahue’s first recruiting class at Boston College was a big one with nine prospects and seven scholarship players committing to the Eagles in 2011, but on Tuesday,  Donahue landed what could very well be the most important recruit of his tenure thus far at B.C., when New Hampton point guard Olivier Hanlan made a verbal commitment. 

Hanlan took an official visit to Boston College last week during the opening weekend of the practice season.  He visited Virginia Tech in September and also considered Virginia, Dayton, and Rice. 

“I just really liked my visit.  I felt really comfortable with all the coaches, especially with Coach Donahue,” Hanlan said.  “They’ve been recruiting me since last winter and when I sat down with my family to think about it, that’s what it came down to, that and the style of play.  Even my old coach from Canada was saying the style of play would fit me perfectly.” 

The Canadian native was the fifth highest rated point guard left available in the country according to the ESPN database, but may still prove to be undervalued on the national level. 

Hanlan is one of the few pure point guards still out there.  He plays pass first shoot second, has a tremendously high basketball I.Q., innate leadership abilities, and well developed ball skills. 

He projects as someone who, at minimum, will make an immediate contribution for Boston College next year, and could even contend for the starting point guard position as a freshman. 

The New Hampton senior is the fourth New England product to commit to the Eagles since Donahue’s arrival joining freshmen Dennis Clifford and Ryan Kilcullen as well as Sal Abdo, the former St. Mark’s point guard who transferred in this season to play out his final year of eligibility as a graduate student.  

For more on the commitment from ESPN.com please click here.