Future Razorback Ford looking for another crown

Magnolia senior guard Derrian Ford (20), who will play for the University of Arkansas next season, has been as consistent as any player in the state over the past three years. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)

One of the most successful high school basketball careers in the state of Arkansas will come to a close Saturday night in Hot Springs, even if his coach doesn’t see him as a “supermodel” just yet.

It seems fitting that his prep finale will come in the Class 4A  state championship game as Arkansas signee Derrian Ford (6-5, 205) tries to lead Magnolia (29-0) to its third state title in four years.

The Panthers, winners of 80 of their last 81 games, will face Blytheville (33-6) at Bank OZK Arena at 7:45 p.m. Saturday.

The greatness of Ford, who is averaging 24 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists this season, is hard to quantify according to Magnolia head coach Ben Lindsey.

“I don’t know that words on the spot can really do it justice,” Lindsey said. “I was talking to him on the bus one night coming back from a game and said that in college you are going to have to realize it may take a little time before people really appreciate you.

“I explained to him that it is kind of like when a supermodel walks by, everybody’s head turns. In basketball, he is not a supermodel when he walks in the building.  If he is on the floor with other high major kids, he is built really well, but he’s not the supermodel.

“He is like the girl next door that you don’t really appreciate her until you get to know her. Well, you don’t understand how special he is until you get the full effect of him every day and the impact he has on your program in terms of wins and losses.”

Lindsey said Ford has kept a level head despite all his success.

“He isn’t a pro yet, but he is a pro in the way he listens and wants to learn and get better,” Lindsey said. “If he can’t outplay you, he will outwork you to make sure he can.”

Magnolia won the 2018 title and shared it in 2019 with Little Rock Mills when the tournament championship game was called due the coronavirus pandemic.

The Panthers are back in the state title game after falling to Morrilton and fellow Razorback 2022 signee Joseph Pinion 70-67 in the semifinals last season.

“It takes a lot of luck to get there,” Lindsey said. “I don’t care if you are North Little Rock or Jonesboro with all their talent, it takes some luck and you never want to take that for granted.

“A lot of coaches will go their whole lives and never get to play in a state championship game and we are blessed to playing in our third one and excited to be there.”

Ford’s last shot at his high school was a 3-pointer with 4.1 seconds left that lifted Magnolia over Little Rock Mills 59-56.

There were two defenders pressuring him.

“I am a Yankees fans and have always referred to Derrian as Mariano Rivera,” Lindsey said. “I think he is the best closer in Arkansas. We were going to try and let him take the last shot and of course he came through.”

Ford used a pump fake to free himself from one of the defenders, something he has added to his game as he has developed.

“We were talking about it yesterday and I can’t remember whether it was one or two summers ago," Lindsey said, "but I have always been a big fan of (NBA players) Paul Pierce and Kobe (Bryant) and how they could pick up their dribble and could ball fake and still gets shots off no matter how good the defense was.

“I would guess that 99 percent of the population can’t do that. But if you go back and watch his shot, he pumped faked the first guy and shot over the second one. What an amazing shot that was and I think it was only fitting for his last shot in Magnolia to be that.”

Lindsey stresses it has been a team effort over the last few seasons on and off the court.

“These kids have just believed they could win and it’s been their mentality every day,” Lindsey said. “I hear it all the time - these kids have played together a long time. Well, so has every other team, but that doesn’t matter. These kids do it the right way.

“I don’t have any distractions with these kids.  I don’t get calls from teachers or administrations about anything that they are not doing right. Nothing. They are just good kids that work really, really hard, don’t miss practice and they are never late.

“They have been like professionals and that is why they have had the kind of success they have had.”

Blytheville features 6-10, 225-pound junior center Rashaud Marshall, who has had a double-double in all three of his team’s state tournament games.

Marshall and Ford were both on hand for Arkansas’ Red-White game at Barnhill Arena on Oct. 17, 2021.

“They have one that doesn’t look like everybody else,” Lindsey said. “He is a big-time post man, a high major kid and we don’t have one that looks like him. He’s huge and he’s athletic.

“They have athletic guards and they scare me, too, but the biggest thing is not letting their post man dominant the game. If he does, we are going to be worried about him getting us in trouble.”