Blue Devils receive their championship rings

Coaches have a little fun with prank during presentation

WM School District 'One, two, three…'

As Marcus Brown counted down the moment everybody had been waiting for, his West Memphis Blue Devils were tinged with anticipation for the bling they'd so obviously deserved.

Then, thud.

That's right.

Plastic.

As in a plastic orange, basketball- shaped ring that you'd find in a bubble gum machine in the Kroger foyer.

A crowd estimated at between 150 to 200 people at Lehr Arena on Saturday gathered to celebrate a most unusual state championship ring ceremony.

First, it was the very first ring ceremony in West Memphis High School history. There'd been six state basketball championships before, but none was followed by a formal ring ceremony for the public to attend.

Second, it marked a costate championship, which may be the first in Arkansas history due to Covid-19. The virus shut down the much-anticipated West Memphis-Jacksonville championship game last March just 72 hours before it was to be played in Hot Springs.

Thus, after much deliberation and waiting to see if the virus would vanish quickly, the Arkansas Activities Association, following the lead from Governor Asa Hutchinson, had no other choice but to cancel the game and declare both teams cochampions.

Thirdly, Brown, the former Blue Devil great and now great coach, pulled a neat little trick that only he could think of.

Three years ago, in the midst of his first season as head coach, Brown's team came prepared for the contest at Marion. His loaded team, which went on that night to dismantle the Patriots 81-53, donned his players in neon warm-ups and neon socks, much to the delight of Blue Devil fans.

Asked what was behind his decision to neon the evening Brown said, 'Well, I'm the kind of guy who zigs when everyone else zags.'

And that he did on Saturday at Lehr Arena.

After much talk and trivia, the moment came for the players to receive the bling. Even Chris Moore, the alltime Blue Devil basketball super star, made it down from Auburn where he is about to embark on his college hoops career.

The rings were covered with a beautiful black, suede box and wrapped in ribbons.

With boxes in each Blue Devil hand, Brown gave the countdown for the players to open the boxes.

What they found inside was the zig.

Bewildered expressions draped the Blue Devil players when they found the Crackerjack prizes.

After a few seconds, Brown told the players to look under their black draped seats.

And that's when the real rings brought a jubilant ending to a celebration of the latest Blue Devil basketball state championship. Players posed with each other flashing the championship rings.

Mayor Marco McClendon honored both the team and its coach in separate proclamations while superintendent Jon Collins and Academies of West Memphis principal Gary Jackson rendered appropriate salutes to their team.

It was a great day to be a Blue Devil, as Brown himself often says in moments like these.

And, it came with less than a month before the first game of the new basketball season. And it can't come too soon for any of us crazed hoop junkies.

Photos by Billy Woods