BC’s 2022 Recruiting Class Clocks in at 26th Nationally

It’s official. Boston College has two four-star recruits in the same class. That hasn’t happened since Rivals started tracking recruiting data in 2002.

The Eagles’ 2022 recruiting class is 26th in the country and eighth in the ACC, according to the Rivals recruiting database.

“We believe that we added four high-character guys to our program,” first-year BC head coach Earl Grant wrote in a BCEagles.com statement. “They are welcome additions, and we look forward to seeing the impact they will have in Boston!”

The jump to 26th nationally is quite an accomplishment for Grant, who just took over a program that hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2008-09 and won only four games last year, not to mention that the Eagles haven’t had a recruiting class ranked higher than 62nd in the previous three years.

It’s a recruiting class headlined by four stars Prince Aligbe and Donald “DJ” Hand.

Aligbe had 20-plus offers from the likes of Cal, Ohio State, UCLA, USC, Florida, Notre Dame, Iowa and Georgetown. The Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Minnesota) forward chose BC over Cal and Ohio State. He is ranked 64th nationally among all Class of 2022 prospects.

Standing 6-foot-7 and 225 pounds, Aligbe averaged north of 11 points per game for a stacked Minnehaha team last season, a squad that was led by top Class of 2021 recruit Chet Holmgren, who committed to Gonzaga.

“We are excited to have Prince join our basketball family,” Grant said. “He brings great length, athleticism and spirit to our program. He has leadership qualities and has experienced winning throughout his career. He is a very good defensive player and has a knack for rebounding.

“He adds another element to our team with his skills to rebound and lead the fast break. He scores in a variety of ways, and we expect him to develop tremendously in our program.”

Hand went with BC over Georgia Tech, North Carolina State, Maryland, South Florida, Iona and Old Dominion. The 6-foot-5, 185-pound guard ranks 102nd overall in the Rivals150 and is the No. 26 point guard nationally, according to the Rivals recruiting database.

Hand played with Team Loaded VA on the Adidas Gauntlet last summer and, as a junior at Landstown High School in Virginia Beach, averaged close to 33 points per game. He even erupted for 43 in the Virginia Class 6 state semis.

“DJ was the first to commit in our 2022 class—he is the one that got everything started—and we are excited to have him join our basketball family,” Grant said. “He is a big, physical, scoring point guard. He is wired to score and has great size for his position.

“DJ scores at all three levels, but what makes him unique are his passing abilities and rebounding ability for his position. He has a lot of energy and personality and has been a winner throughout his career. We are excited to see his growth in the future.”

Chas Kelley and Armani Mighty, both three stars, are the other two signees.

Kelley is a 6-foot-5, 185-pound combo guard from The Phelps School (Malvern, Pennsylvania). He originally was in the 2021 class but reclassified “back” a year after being at Houston Cy-Creek for his first two seasons of prep basketball. While there, he averaged approximately 16 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals per game as a sophomore.

Kelley also had offers from Butler, DePaul, George Mason, Ohio and Rutgers, among other schools. He has showcased great ability to get to the rim, however, his outside shooting could be improved.

“Chas has shown tremendous growth over the last year,” Grant said. “His body and his game have really developed at a fast pace. He is a long combo guard who is comfortable quarterbacking the team or playing off the ball as a scorer. He is a confident 3-point shooter with range.

“Chas has the tools to be a really good defensive player and plays with a lot of spirit. He shows great leadership skills and is very vocal. We look forward to seeing his development in the future.”

Mighty is a 6-foot-10, 220-pound center from Toronto, where he plays his high school ball for the United Scholastic Academy. Despite living in Canada now, he was born in Jamaica and has playing organized basketball for only three years.

Mighty can play the four or the five, has soft hand and great mobility in the paint and can attack the glass. He is coming off a great summer with UA Canada Elite. Mighty received offers from Providence and Vermont as well.

“Armani brings a great dimension to our program with his length, size and athleticism,” Grant said. “He is very mobile and runs the floor well for his size. He has a knack for tracking the ball for rebounds and protects the rim with his shot-blocking abilities.

“Armani has a great feel for the game and his passing is unique for his position. His growth has been tremendous in the last year, and I expect him to continue to expand his game. We are really excited to have him join our basketball family.”