Ford hoping to continue tradition at PGU
MBB: The freshman opted to stay with the Racers after the coaching change in March
Tristian Ford was one of three players that signed with Murray State back in November. After the coaching change in March, he was the only signee to stick with the Racers.
“(When) I talked to Coach (Ryan) Miller the first time, he just told me he wanted to play at a high pace,” Ford said. “I feel like I’ve been playing like that with (my high school team) Chicago Prep my whole time there. I just feel like it was a good fit. Coach (Brendan) Mullins is still here — that’s my guy. I heard a lot of good things about Coach Miller as a coach, how he’s going to push you, how he had NBA players he coached. It was just a reason to stay. Murray State — PGU.”
Ford is hoping to carry on the legacy of great Racer point guards, especially the three who have had their numbers retired in the last decade.
“I heard about Isaiah Canaan, Cam Payne and Ja Morant (during my recruitment),” Ford said. “I talked to Isaiah Canaan before I committed. He was just telling me how you want to try to win every sprint, try to win every drill, and just be a competitor.”
Like any freshman, Ford has been thrown into the deep end of the proverbial pool and he’s learning to swim. Between daily film sessions and talks with the coaching staff, the 6’3 guard has gotten more comfortable as the summer has progressed.
“It’s a lot being thrown at me,” Ford said. “I’m just taking it day-by-day and just trying to learn each and every day and grow as much as I can.”
Like any point guard, Ford is an extension of his head coach. Listening to Ford talk about Ryan Miller’s goals on the floor, it’s obvious Miller’s messages have been received.
“Crashing the boards, he wants to get offensive rebounds,” Ford said about one of Miller’s mandates. “Defensive-wise, getting deflections. He’s talking a lot about raking the ball. Offensively, just moving the ball, playing with pace. He wants to play super-fast. He said he wants to be one of the Top 10 teams in the country at pace.”
From the day he was hired, Miller has worked to accelerate the bonding process between the 15 new players on the roster. The team has gone bowling, played pickleball, visited Fort Campbell to do obstacle courses, among countless other activities. All told, Miller’s plan seems to have been a success.
“We eat breakfast and dinner together every day,” Ford said. “We’ve got a lot of team events, team camaraderie. We’re with each other 24/7 out of the day, so we’ve got no choice but to be close.”
Ford’s original decision to come to Murray State didn’t include Ryan Miller, but he’s glad he decided to stay.
“I like how intense he is,” Ford said. “He’s crazy about basketball. He tells us to watch film. You see him watching film in his office, 24/7. You talk to him, he’s just a basketball guy, a basketball junkie. I love him because I’m a basketball junkie. I love everything about basketball — the good days, the bad days, everything that comes with it.”
Five weeks before the first game of the season, Ford’s goals for this season are quite simple.
“Just being with the guys, winning games, and just having fun.”
He is scary athletic. But what I like most about him is that he is such a fine young man. 🐎❤️
What I like about Ford is how hard he plays on both ends of the court. Very quick and athletic, hope he gets his share of minutes and stays at Murray State.