Magnolia streaking

The victories just keep on coming for Magnolia’s boys basketball team. The Panthers have won 35 consecutive games dating to the 2018- 19 season, and with the way they’re playing, there’s no telling when that streak will end.

The victories just keep on coming for Magnolia’s boys basketball team.

The Panthers have won 35 consecutive games dating to the 2018-19 season, and with the way they’re playing, there’s no telling when that streak will end.

The last time Magnolia lost a game was Feb. 22, 2018, a 58-55 setback to Monticello. The Panthers won their final five games of that season, including a two-point victory in the Class 4A state title game, and was victorious in all 26 of its games last season. Magnolia has opened this season winning against Ashdown, Lake Hamilton, Prescott and El Dorado by an average of 34.3 points.

However, Magnolia

Coach Ben

Lindsey admitted that things haven’t been easy for his team.

“I think my guys are doing about as good as they can be under the circumstances,” he said. “Mentally, things are just different, and it’s a drain on everybody. I’m proud of what they’ve done, though. Right now, I play four guys that are 5-foot-7, and we’ve got about a seven-man rotation.

“But the one advantage that we have that works in our favor is that of the seven guys we put out there, they can all shoot it, handle it and guard.”

Among the best at all three of those characteristics is junior Derrian Ford, who has received scholarship offers from a slew of Division I Power 5 schools. The 6-4 guard is averaging 27.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4 assists per game. Fellow juniors Colby Garland (6-1), and Devonta Walker (6-5) round out Lindsey’s trio of players that stand at least six feet.

Those three have paved the way for Magnolia’s undefeated start going into today’s matchup with Texarkana.

“We lost one guy that I thought was probably going to be a starter for us,” Lindsey said. “He was one of our big guys that didn’t come out this year. So of those players that get consistent minutes, we’ve got that seven.

“But they’ve done well. We’ve been fortunate, and hopefully, we can keep that up.

Lindsey