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When they were young, a typical afternoon for brothers Makai Ashton-Langford and DeMarr Langford Jr. began with the boys begging their father to take them to YMCA for some pickup, which ended with middle-aged adults feeling bad about themselves after losing to the kids. Since they were three years apart, YMCA was the only place where Makai and DeMarr could play on the same team, testing their skills against bigger, faster and more veteran players.

At that time, the brothers’ basketball IQ, combined with their athleticism, showed they were heading to the next level. Now, the boys are still doing it together, this time at Boston College, where they are the team’s two leading scorers. As a fifth-year senior, Makai averages a team-high 12.4 points and 3.1 assists per game while sophomore DeMarr has become a full-time starter this season, notching just under 11 points per game.

“Getting to play with my brother and see him develop, I could not think of a better way for this to happen,” Makai said.

The Langford brothers followed their parents, Sacha Langford and DeMarr Langford Sr., who met playing basketball at Worcester State. Both parents were 1,000 point scorers in high school, and they left an impact on the brothers.

“I remember our dad bringing us to the YMCA or the park whenever we had free time,” DeMarr said. “We all just loved the game so much.”

The boys developed after their days at the YMCA, with Makai averaging 22 points, four rebounds and six assists while leading Cushing Academy (Mass.) to the AA New England Prep School Championship.

Makai joined highly touted Brewster Academy (New Hampshire) the next season, and the team went 33-0, winning the National Prep School Championship. Makai also dominated in AAU basketball, leading the Mass Rivals to 21 straight wins and four tournament titles.

“Makai has always been a winner. You can always count on his high energy level and determination to win,” said Vin Pastore, Makai’s AAU coach.

Out of high school, Makai was ranked as the No. 38 overall player and No. 11 point guard recruit by ESPN. He ultimately enrolled at Providence, but his college career started slow as Makai averaged roughly four points in his first two seasons.

Makai decided to transfer to Boston College at the end of his sophomore season, and after sitting out the 2019-20 season, he posted a 9.6 points per game average in his first year with the Eagles, and his numbers have only improved this season.

“The coaching staff and players around me know and trust the skills I have,” Makai said. “They give me confidence, telling me to shoot and be a playmaker. My teammates put me in a position to prosper.”

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Like his brother, DeMarr was also a highly-touted recruit out of high school. At Brewster, DeMarr ended his senior season 32-1 and was ranked 97th in the class of the 2019 by ESPN. DeMarr stood out as an athletic, stout defender with a strong scoring ability, Pastore said.

For his college decision, DeMarr was between Boston College and NC State and chose to once again play alongside his older brother.

“I tried to take my brother out of the equation and make it about me,” DeMarr said. “But I couldn’t take him out completely — he is my brother and makes it feel like home.”

DeMarr has increased his scoring by over four points per game from last season and also leads the Eagles in minutes per game (34.7).

As the two leading scorers for BC, much of the Eagles’ success relies on their backcourt duo. Over the years, the brothers developed chemistry that has been evident this year.

“I know where he wants to get the ball and where he is best at scoring,” DeMarr said. “The trust is always there, and I feel like when we are on the same page, the rest of the team feeds off us.”

Syracuse took down BC 73-64 last week, and Saturday’s contest will be the second time the teams have met over a 12-day period. Cole Swider hit five 3s in the win, and Syracuse’s pair of Boeheim brothers combined for 25 points. But Makai struggled, only putting up nine points while going 4-13 from the field. He, along with DeMarr, will look for a bounce-back performance against an SU team they haven’t beaten since either arrived at BC.

Published on February 16, 2022 at 10:12 pm

Contact Jason: jdmazer@syr.edu