L.C. Bird basketball doesn’t rebuild, it reloads. After losing a considerable amount of talent from last year’s state championship team, the Skyhawks will now bring in a new crop of talent. One of those players will be rising senior Chris Ford.
Colleges have begun to take notice of Ford and his 6-8 frame this summer. As a member of the River City Reign’s travel team, Ford put his game on display and received offers from Norfolk State, 
Catawba, and Chowan.
“Chris is a late bloomer, so his best basketball is ahead of him,” said L.C. Bird coach Troy Manns. “What Chris does that coaches love is, he plays extremely hard every single possession.And he’s such an unselfish, team-first player that guys love playing with him.”
Limited to an injury for most of the year, Ford played in only two games last season. However, Ford is expected to become a dominant post presence for Bird. His length and athleticism makes him a premier rim protector, and he brings a high motor, which is crucial for the Skyhawks’ up-tempo offense.
“Chris brings energy enthusiasm and effort every day,” Manns said. “He brings an insatiable desire to learn and improve on a daily basis which makes him a joy to work with.”
Now the question remains: can Ford take over the reins as one of the key players in Bird’s effort to make another deep postseason run? Manns pointed out that every year it’s been different leaders for the Skyhawks, dating back to Kenny Williams and CJ Miles, then Charles Falden, and Mario Haskett and Johquin “Pinky” Wiley this past year. Every time, the players have come through in their senior year, and Manns expects it to be no different with Ford and the other seniors.
“Next man up mentality,” Manns said. “Put winning first, we over me, and we will see where they can lead us.”
Ford has started attracting the attention of colleges, he’s made huge strides in his game, and he’s locked and loaded to lead L.C. Bird in his senior year.
