Tag: Penny Hardaway

Categories
Film/TV Film/TV/Etc. Blog

Indie Memphis Day 5: High Art, Music Videos, and Penny Hardaway

Shannon Walton in Sweet Knives video for ‘I Don’t Wanna Die’

You’re going to be hard pressed to see everything great on Indie Memphis Sunday, so some triage is in order. We’re here to help.

First thing in the morning is the Hometowner Rising Filmmaker Shorts bloc (11:00 a.m., Ballet Memphis), where you can see the latest in new Memphis talent, including “Ritual” by Juliet Mace and Maddie Dean, which features perhaps the most brutal audition process ever.

Indie Memphis Day 5: High Art, Music Videos, and Penny Hardaway

The retrospective of producer/director Sara Driver’s work continues with her new documentary Boom For Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Micheal Basquiat (1:30 p.m., Studio on the Square). Driver was there in the early 80s when Basquiat was a rising star in the New York art scene, and she’s produced this look at the kid on his way to becoming a legend.

Indie Memphis Day 5: High Art, Music Videos, and Penny Hardaway (2)

The companion piece to Driver’s latest is Downtown 81 (4:00 p.m., Hattiloo Theatre). Edo Bertoglio’s documentary gives a real-time look at the art and music scene built from the ashes of 70s New York that would go on to conquer the world. Look for a cameo from Memphis punk legend Tav Falco.

Indie Memphis Day 5: High Art, Music Videos, and Penny Hardaway (4)

You can see another Memphis legend in action in William Friedkin’s 1994 Blue Chips (4:00 p.m., Studio on the Square). Penny Hardaway, then a star recruit for the Memphis Tigers, appears as a star recruit for volatile college basketball coach Pete Bell, played by Nick Nolte. It’s the current University of Memphis Tigers basketball coach’s only big screen appearance to date, until someone makes a documentary about this hometown hero’s eventful life.

Indie Memphis Day 5: High Art, Music Videos, and Penny Hardaway (5)

The Ballet Memphis venue hosts two selections of Memphis filmmakers screening out of the competition at 1:50 and 7:00 p.m., continuing the unprecedentedly awesome run of Hometowner shorts this year. There are a lot of gems to be found here, such as Clint Till’s nursing home comedy “Hangry” and Garrett Atkinson and Dalton Sides’ “Interview With A Dead Man.” To give you a taste of the good stuff, here’s Munirah Safiyah Jones’ instant classic viral hit “Fuckboy Defense 101.”

Indie Memphis Day 5: High Art, Music Videos, and Penny Hardaway (3)

At 9:00 p.m., the festivities move over to Black Lodge in Crosstown for the Music Video Party. 44 music videos from all over the world will be featured on the Lodge’s three screens, including works by Memphis groups KadyRoxz, A Weirdo From Memphis, Al Kapone, Nick Black, Uriah Mitchell, Louise Page, Joe Restivo, Jana Jana, Javi, NOTS, Mark Edgar Stuart, Jeff Hulett, Stephen Chopek, and Impala. Director and editor Laura Jean Hocking has the most videos in the festival this year, with works for John Kilzer, Bruce Newman, and this one for Sweet Knives.

Indie Memphis Day 5: High Art, Music Videos, and Penny Hardaway (6)

If experimental horror and sci fi is more your speed, check out the Hometowner After Dark Shorts (9:30 p.m., Playhouse on the Square), which features Isaac M. Erickson’s paranoid thriller “Home Video 1997.”

Indie Memphis Day 5: High Art, Music Videos, and Penny Hardaway (7)

Categories
Cover Feature News

Hoop City! Season Previews for the Tigers and Grizz

First Class

Can the country’s top-ranked recruiting class take the Memphis Tigers to the promised land?

by Frank Murtaugh

Not since Penny Hardaway (an All-American guard) and four other starters departed after the 1992-93 season has the University of Memphis basketball program undergone what amounts to a roster flip. But there’s a significant catch this time. Hardaway — now the second-year head coach of the program — has filled that roster with the country’s top-ranked recruiting class, a septet that will not so much support returning rotation players like Alex Lomax and Tyler Harris (both sophomores), but shape the way those veterans impact the upcoming season. The Tigers will have a brand-new starting five on opening night (November 5th against South Carolina State at FedExForum), but they’ll take the floor with the highest expectations the program has seen in at least a decade.

Photographs by Larry Kuzniewski

Coach Penny Hardaway

A year ago at this time, excitement around the program was entirely Hardaway-generated. The first-year coach led the Tigers to a 22-14 record and postseason play for the first time in five years (albeit the NIT). All but three members of that team’s rotation — most notably Jeremiah Martin — exhausted their eligibility, making this year’s recruiting class critical for any hopes of a return to the NCAA tournament and/or national rankings. And what a class Hardaway has delivered: seven players from four states and three times zones, a group ranked tops in the country by those who specialize in such metrics.

The Magnificent Seven

• James Wiseman, C (East High School, Memphis) — The top-ranked recruit in the entire country, Wiseman won a Tennessee state championship (in 2018) as a junior at East, playing for Hardaway. He was the tipping point for this recruiting class, a primary factor in attracting new teammates from as far away as New York and California. The Gatorade National Player of the Year as a senior, Wiseman played in the McDonald’s All-American Game and could become the top pick in the 2020 NBA draft. But first things first. The 7’1″ center will aim to add a college championship to the high school hardware he earned alongside Alex Lomax, Malcolm Dandridge, and Ryan Boyce. Wiseman is the only Tiger on the AAC’s preseason all-conference team.

James Wiseman

• Precious Achiuwa, F (Bronx, New York) — Like Wiseman, a five-star recruit, top-10 national prospect, and participant in the 2019 McDonald’s All-American Game. Played with Lester Quinones at St. Benedict’s Prep in New Jersey (as well as AAU ball in New York). The last of the “magnificent seven” to sign with Memphis, Achiuwa’s addition clinched a No. 1 ranking for the recruiting class.

Precious Achiuwa

• Boogie Ellis, PG (San Diego) — A four-star playmaker, Ellis was ranked 32nd overall by 247Sports. Scored 51 points and 43 points in games as a senior at Mission Bay High School.

• Lester Quinones, G (Brentwood, New York) — Earned a four-star ranking during his single season at IMG Academy in Florida. The 12th-ranked shooting guard in the country according to 247Sports. Won a championship in 2018 alongside Achiuwa at St. Benedict’s Prep in New Jersey. Shot 38 percent from three-point range at IMG.

• D.J. Jeffries, F (Olive Branch High School) — A four-star prospect, Jeffries was the top-ranked player in Mississippi and the ninth-ranked power forward in the country. Averaged 23.3 points and 12.8 rebounds for the Conquistadors as a senior.

• Damion Baugh, G (Nashville) — Played two seasons at Tennessee Prep Academy in Memphis, averaging 23.5 points and 10 rebounds as a senior. A four-star prospect, Baugh was ranked fourth among Tennessee prospects by 247Sports.

• Malcolm Dandridge, F (East High School, Memphis) — Won a pair of state titles under Hardaway at East then became the new coach’s first commitment shortly after Hardaway was named Tiger coach in March 2018. A four-star prospect, Dandridge also played alongside Jeffries on the Bluff City Legends summer team.

Malcolm Dandridge and Alex Lomax

Talented But Inexperienced …

Hardaway hasn’t expressed — or shown outwardly — the slightest intimidation at the challenge he faces as Tiger coach, not since the March 2018 press conference in which he was reintroduced to a community of followers who already knew him better than they did their second cousins. To now be armed with a recruiting class that is the envy of every other coach in the country? “I’m excited,” he says. “Last year was a great learning experience. To come back with the No. 1 recruiting class. … I’m anxious to get ready.”

And the notion of a rotation built around freshmen? “They’re freshmen, but they’re talented,” emphasizes Hardaway. “They’re gonna lean on us, the coaching staff, and players from last year. Experience is the best teacher. They’ll get their feet wet and see what works, and what doesn’t work. If they stay within themselves, and listen to us, they’ll be okay. If five freshmen earn spots, I’d have no problem starting them. Who is going to be the best at their position for us to win? There’s no favoritism. They’ll battle it out in practice.”

Among the star-studded group of freshmen, Wiseman is almost certain to stand out. Players who can run the floor at 7’1″ tend to gain “unicorn” status in the modern basketball lexicon, and Wiseman qualifies. Already projected to be a top-five pick in the 2020 NBA draft, the Mandarin-speaking big man will aim to maximize his impact for what he hopes is one special winter of college. “He’s matured a lot,” says Hardaway. “James is really quiet. But he’s being active with his teammates. He’s asking a lot of questions. He’s hungry. He wants to play great while he’s here.”

Quinones has stepped forward as a face — and voice — of sorts for the Tiger rookies. He wears his game shorts higher than most, and flexes his Twitter muscles without reservation, recently firing away at Tennessee players as the Tiger-Vol rivalry regains some bite. “I love playing in front of huge crowds,” he says. “It gets me going better. It has a huge effect on us, how accepting the fans are. We’re just one huge basketball city.”

The new collection of talent has meant intense practices. As Hardaway puts it, “Iron sharpens iron.” Says Quinones, “The talent level on this team is amazing. Every day, someone is going to bring it more. The next day, the next person will do it.”

“These are the moments I’ve been waiting for my whole life,” adds Ellis, the freshman who’s made the longest trip to be part of this special class. “The bright lights, it’s an amazing feeling. Since I arrived in town, everybody wants to take pictures with us. It’s crazy. Great expectations come with great responsibility. We’ll live up to it if we continue to work hard and come together for one goal. We’ll put it all out there.”

While Ellis and Quinones are the premium guards among the freshman class, don’t sleep on Baugh, as there’s one element of a player’s game that earns playing-time love from Hardaway. “Damion is special,” notes Hardaway. “He picks up [defensively] 94 feet, maybe our best defensive guard besides Alex Lomax. Great rebounding guard. High IQ. And he can pass the ball really well.”

The Veterans

The only three players who can be classified as veterans this season are sophomore guards Harris (10.8 points per game as a freshman) and Lomax (5.1) and senior forward Isaiah Maurice (5.6 points and 3.1 rebounds). Hardaway is especially pleased with the development Lomax has shown over the offseason. Having coached A-Lo since his high school days at East, Hardaway feels an investment in the player’s rise. “He really struggled last year, shooting the ball,” says Hardaway. “He’s always been a great defensive player but kind of lost his way. This year, he came in understanding what he needs to do, and how he can affect the game for us. He understands what it takes for him to be successful on this level.”

Hardaway For the Defense

Amid all the flash, all those ranking stars (two fives and five fours, remember), Hardaway has his sights set on smothering opponents defensively. Good defense doesn’t slump. Particularly when playing away from FedExForum — where the Tigers’ various rankings will be held against them — Hardaway wants to see his team answer with defense. “With a young team, defense is gonna get it,” he says. “When we run into those teams that are senior-laden, physical . . . defense is going to come into play. Offensively, we’ll be okay. But defensively, we’ll have to shut people down.”

The Tigers’ nonconference schedule is gaining strength, both with regional rivals back (Ole Miss, UAB, Tennessee) and “power-five” opponents a long way from FedExForum (Oregon and North Carolina State, the latter in Brooklyn). “There are some points on the schedule where, if we’re not coming to play, we could lose two or three in a row,” says Hardaway. “Especially with a young team. We’ll see who can handle adversity. We’re not afraid to play anybody.”

Hardaway pays attention to the rankings, both for his recruiting class and for the team he’s built in two years. While some prognosticators have the Tigers in their top 20 — but not top 10 — Hardaway says top five wouldn’t surprise him. (AAC coaches picked Memphis to tie Houston for the conference championship.) He’s that confident in the talent he’s drawn to Memphis, and that convinced he and his coaching staff will max-out the treasure trove of skills. So raise your expectations as high as they’ll go. They’re not higher than those of the Memphis coach.

“The mood around the city — everywhere I go — they can’t wait for the season to start,” says Hardaway. “Everybody’s raring to go, to see what this team’s gonna do. We’re all anxious.”

A Fresh Start

Six key questions about this year’s new-edition Grizzlies.

By Aimee Stiegemeyer and Sharon Shy Brown

Gone are the days when the Memphis Grizzlies were a playoff staple in the NBA’s Western Conference — and often known as the team no one wanted to face in the post-season. A new chapter has commenced in Grind City. The Grizzlies traded franchise cornerstones — and two of the best players in franchise history — Marc Gasol and Mike Conley. Gasol was traded to the Toronto Raptors prior to the trade deadline, where he eventually went on to become an NBA champion. Conley was sent to the Utah Jazz ahead of the draft.

But the Grizzlies have quietly established a young core that could set the organization up for years to come. Second-year player Jaren Jackson Jr. and rookie point guard Ja Morant will be the key figures going forward.

Jaren Jackson Jr.

Will it work? Time will tell. Here are six key questions ahead of the upcoming NBA season:

The Grizzlies made a lot of major changes during the off season — changes in the front office, changes in the coaching staff, and changes to the roster. Do you think those changes will lead to success? 

Aimee Stiegemeyer: Eventually, yes. Although it could take more than one season to fully realize it. While they might not lead to immediate success, the changes made in the off season are a good starting point for getting there. 

There are some new decision-makers in the front office, and so far the choices they have made appear to be good ones. Ja Morant and Brandon Clarke were excellent pickups, and the Grizzlies also received a few usable pieces from Utah and Atlanta. Shedding the remainder of Chandler Parsons’ contract was one of the most impressive moves made.

Sharon Brown: In recent years, the Grizzlies have been a team plagued with instability and uncertainty. The team has been through four coaches since Robert Pera took controlling ownership of the franchise in 2012. For some reason or another, coaches haven’t worked out for Memphis. It is too early to predict how first-year coach Taylor Jenkins’ tenure will work out.

Confidence was lost in the front office, and former general manager Chris Wallace took the brunt of the criticism — rightfully so, since he was the one in front of the cameras. Changes were inevitable to appease the fan base. Grizzlies fans were used to being in the playoffs during the Grit ‘n Grind era with the Core Four (Gasol, Conley, Zach Randolph, and Tony Allen). Even though the team improved to 33 wins last season from 22 the previous season, fans still want and expect more. Success is relative, and time will tell if the changes made will be worthwhile.


Memphis appears to be at the starting point of an across-the-board rebuild. Do you think a complete rebuild was necessary?

AS: Yes, 100 percent. The Grizzlies went all in on Gasol and Conley three years ago, which I do think was the correct choice at the time. Overspending on Chandler Parsons was a gamble by the front office, and in hindsight it turned out to be a losing one. However, looking at the context of where the Grizzlies were as a team, I still believe they did the best they could with the cards they were dealt. It became apparent last year that the window to build around Conley and Gasol was pretty much closed, and a hard reset was the most logical way forward. 

It’s easy to look back now and criticize the albatross that ended up being Parsons’ contract, but top-tier free agents were not exactly clamoring to come to Memphis, and something that often goes unstated is that without signing Parsons (or a similar caliber player), there was a good chance that Conley wouldn’t have re-signed. 

It seems like a lifetime ago now, but there were plenty of reasons to believe that building around Gasol and Conley would lead to further success. With a quality center and a quality point guard on the roster, the addition of a top-tier wing like Parsons made perfect sense. On paper, it was a solid move. In practice, not so much. Paralyzed by three near-max contracts, the Grizzlies were not able to acquire the rest of the pieces needed to push the team to the next level. And thus, here we are. 

SB: Absolutely, it was necessary. As the saying goes, you can’t expect different results if you keep doing the same thing over and over. That’s the definition of insanity. The Grizzlies were never known for developing young talent. Players were getting older and restless.

It was time to move on from Gasol and Conley and allow them to pursue championship aspirations because, frankly, it wasn’t happening in Memphis any time soon.

It was long overdue. The icing on the cake was finally getting rid of Parsons’ massive contract. Getting rid of the three massive contracts of Gasol, Conley, and Parsons gave the Grizzlies room to maneuver for the future.

Who’ll have a breakout season, top of the roster?

AS: Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. are the obvious answers, provided the latter can learn to stay out of foul trouble. This could also be the season that Dillon Brooks unlocks his full potential and elevates his game to another level. I’m feeling pretty high on Brandon Clarke as well. 

Ja Morant

SB: Conventional wisdom would say Jaren Jackson Jr. However, Morant may give him a run for his money. Both have the potential to become superstars in this league.

Jackson is a great all-around player and the new face of the franchise, but he has had issues with rebounding and getting into foul trouble. He needs to understand that when the game is on the line, he needs to be out on the floor, not sitting on the bench with foul issues.

Morant is one of the best passing and explosive point guards to come out of college in a long time, and he will be in the conversation for Rookie of the Year. And he is hungry. With luck and hard work, Morant and Jackson could be an unstoppable duo in the NBA for years to come.

Who’ll have a breakout season from the bench?

AS: Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill are both giving me very strong veteran role-player vibes. And this is likely to be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t think we should sleep on Grayson Allen either. 

SB: There are several players who stand out on the bench, and it is hard to pick just one to have a breakout season. Clarke and Allen may be top-tier role players. Backup point guard Tyus Jones may be the most important bench player. He has an all-around game and has the ability to run the offense when Morant is catching a rest.

What does a successful season look like right now to this franchise?

AS: The Grizzlies need to consider the long game here and look beyond immediate results. What constitutes success is subjective, and one man’s ceiling is another man’s floor. I don’t expect them to be playoff contenders this year — and maybe not next year, either. They have put together a nice group of guys who are young, scrappy, and hungry, and the primary goal for this season should be about player development and building team chemistry.

Coach Taylor Jenkins

SB: Setting high expectations for this season doesn’t seem realistic. As we’ve seen elsewhere in the league, a youth movement doesn’t necessarily mean instant success. Continuity goes a long way as far as development is concerned with a young core. It might be a few years before the team’s hard work pays off. This is a game of chess, not checkers. It may be tough in terms of winning in the Western Conference, but fans will likely have other things to cheer for and become excited about. This team should be considered one of the better up-and-coming young teams in the West, one with a bright future.

How should the Grizzlies handle the situation with Andre Iguodala?

AS: This is another situation in which playing the long game is necessary. What they should absolutely not do, under any circumstances, is give Iguodala a buyout right now. I might feel differently if he were willing to accept something lower than his full $17.2 million salary, however it just does not make good business sense to subsidize his move to the Lakers or the Clippers for nothing in return. If nothing else, he will be a hot commodity as the trade deadline gets closer, and there’s a much better chance of getting some value out of his contract.  

SB: Right now, it’s a business decision for the Grizzlies. Memphis has every right to want something in return, instead of a buyout. Iguodala has over $17 million remaining on his contract. Neither the Grizzlies nor Iguodala appear to be in a rush to come to an agreement. The Grizzlies are vying for future assets via a trade while Iguodala wants to be traded to a contender or sign with a team of his choosing, if he’s bought out. Patience is key for both Memphis and Iguodala.

Aimee Stiegemeyer and Sharon Shy Brown are the founding editors and co-owners of the Memphis Grizzlies blog All Heart in Hoop City.

Categories
Film/TV Film/TV/Etc. Blog

Harriet, Mystery Train, and Frankie Lead Indie Memphis 2019 Lineup

Cynthia Ervino as Harriet Tubman in Harriet, the opening night film at Indie Memphis 2019

The Indie Memphis Film Festival has announced the lineup for the 22nd iteration of the home-grown cinephile celebration, which will run October 30-November 4, 2019. The opening night film will be Harriet, a biopic of abolitionist leader Harriet Tubman by director Kasi Lemmons.

(l to r) Bill Murray, Chloë Sevigny, and Adam Driver star in Jim Jarmusch’s The Dead Don’t Die.

Director Jim Jarmusch, who put Memphis on the arthouse map in 1989 with Mystery Train, will return for a 30th anniversary screening of the seminal independent film. Since the festival runs through Halloween this year, Jarmusch will also screen his latest film, zombie comedy The Dead Don’t Die.

Producer/director Sara Driver, Jarmusch’s longtime partner and sometimes co-creator, will be the subject of a retrospective, and present the “spooky inspirations” for her work, which critic Johnathan Rosenbaum called “a conflation of fantasy with surrealism, science fiction, comics, horror, sword-and-sorcery, and the supernatural that stretches all the way from art cinema to exploitation by way of Hollywood.”

William Marshall wants to have a drink on you in Blacula.

On Halloween itself, there will be a special screening of the cult classic Blacula starring William Marshall as a vampire loose in ’70s Los Angeles.

Memphis director Ira Sachs returns from France with his latest picture Frankie, starring Isabella Huppert as an ailing movie star who summons her family and friends for one last gathering.
 

Harriet, Mystery Train, and Frankie Lead Indie Memphis 2019 Lineup

The Hometowner category, which spotlights films made by Memphis artists, boasts a healthy six features this year, including Cold Feet, a bachelor party horror comedy by Indie Memphis stalwarts Brad Ellis and Allen C. Gardner, which just won the writing award at the New Orleans Horror Film Festival. Musician and artist Lawerence Matthews makes his feature film debut at the festival with vérité documentary The Hub. Cinematographer and producer Jordan Danelz presents his first feature documentary In the Absence, which deals with blight and gentrification in Memphis. Jookin’ is the subject of Louis Wallecan’s Lil Buck: Real Swan. Jim Hanon profiles Memphis saxophonist Kirk Whalum in Humanite: The Beloved Community. Director Jessica Chaney makes her premiere with the girl power drama This Can’t Be Life.

Penny Hardaway (right) stars with Shaquille O’Neil (center), Matt Nover (left), and Nick Nolte (bottom) in William Friedkin’s Blue Chips.

The celebrated director of The Exorcist, William Friedkin will have a mini-retrospective with two films. The first is Blue Chips, a 1995 film set in the world of college basketball starring Shaquille O’Neil, Nick Nolte, and University of Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway. The second is Sorcerer, a film Friedkin called his masterpiece, but which had the misfortune to be released in 1977 on the week Star Wars went wide.

Another sure-to-be-anticipated screening will be Varda by Agnes, an autobiographical film by the late, revered filmmaker Agnes Varda, made when she was 90 years old.

The great director says goodbye in Varda by Agnes.

The Narrative Feature competition will feature five films from as far abroad as the Dominican Republic, four of which are by women directors. The documentary competition will be between four features, including Best Before Death, director Paul Duane’s portrait of artist Bill Drummond, which was filmed partially in Memphis.

The Memphis Flyer will have full coverage of the festival in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, you can find more information, festival passes, and tickets to individual screenings on the Indie Memphis website. 

Categories
Sports Tiger Blue

Pennyspeak

I’m growing rather fluent in Pennyspeak. If you’ve been listening to Memphis Tiger basketball coach Penny Hardaway since he took over the program 15 months ago, you’re likely speaking the language, too. It’s a refreshing alternative to “coachspeak,” the more typical say-one-thing-but-mean-another form of phrasing we hear every winter from coaches too timid to intimidate or too skittish to scare.

Having secured the top-ranked recruiting class in the nation after his first season as a college coach, Hardaway met with a group of media types last month to discuss the extraordinary group of talent on its way to Memphis. You may have heard what he said, but let’s go a little further: What did Hardaway want us to hear?


“What we’ve been able to do this summer is amazing. It’s a blessing. I wanted this so badly. To do this in such a short period of time . . . I thank God for the opportunity.”

Hardaway is grateful, indeed, to be making a difference, you might say, in his hometown, and at his alma mater. He also knows he’s very good at this recruiting game. God didn’t convince the country’s top recruit (James Wiseman) to stay home and play for the Tigers, and He didn’t persuade another five-star recruit (Precious Achiuwa) to play a supporting role to Wiseman. That was the man in the fancy suit and custom sneakers.


“They’re saying they’re gonna sacrifice — for one another — so they can all achieve the bigger goal.”

This is going to be micro-analyzed until Opening Night in November, and rightfully so: With only one basketball and 200 player-minutes per game, can seven freshmen stars co-exist? Don’t discount the role social media plays in the gathering of a modern college basketball team, the connectedness that can be achieved — at least in the minds of young men — before a team first assembles on a court. Wiseman, Achiuwa, Lester Quinones, and Boogie Ellis were sharing thoughts and views in a group chat long before the commitment letters were signed. Before they agreed to become teammates and play for Hardaway, they had to agree on the idea of being teammates, sharing a uniform, and yes, sacrificing some minutes on the floor for the greater good, the bigger goal. And do you wonder if these players recognized the fan support, the desire in Memphis to see this super-class become reality? Well, they did.

“This is Memphis. We don’t bluff. We want all the smoke. We want everything to be about Memphis. That’s what this city wants. We want to win a national championship.”

Forget incremental program-building under Hardaway. The Tigers haven’t won so much as a conference championship since the 2012-13 season. It’s now been five years without an NCAA tournament appearance for the Tiger program. But Hardaway is about now. He’d be a great spokesman for the mindfulness movement, the notion that scars of the past or possibilities of the future only interfere with being the best you can be right now. Make the next breath you take your most important. Make your next decision one of impact. And shy away from nothing. Those who lower the bar of expectations tend to stumble over that lowered bar.

“I’m different. We’re different. We’re an NBA staff . . . in college.”

There’s an arrogance to this, no question. The fact is, Hardaway is not coaching an NBA team. His assistants aren’t sharpening the skills of NBA players. But to win in the world of college basketball on the scale Hardaway wants to win, you better sell your program as a connector to The League. We may soon see the end of the “one-and-done” absurdity, a new era in which high school superstars can leap straight to the NBA if they choose (and are chosen). But there are only 60 selections made each year in the NBA draft. Do the math on that, with 347 Division I college teams and thousands of high school programs. It’s still hard to reach the NBA. Elite college coaches must establish themselves as conduits.

“It’s been like daydreaming, just thinking about the matchups you can put on the floor.”

Get used to the words positionless basketball. They may as well have been copyrighted by the Golden State Warriors. Ellis will be the Tigers’ point guard next season, unless the ball is in the hands of Quinones, or Tyler Harris, or Alex Lomax. Malcolm Dandridge may look like a power forward in warm-ups, but what do we call him when he’s the largest Tiger on the floor, when “small ball” becomes the mode of attack? And call James Wiseman a “center” if you want to sound like it’s 1995. Hardaway has so many options in distributing those 200 player-minutes on game night. Expect his rotation — to say nothing of his starting five — to be as fluid as the body of water rolling south just a few blocks west of his team’s arena. Rivers were made for daydreaming, right?

Categories
From My Seat Sports

Precious! Memphis Secures Top Recruiting Class in the Country

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

“We want to win a national title. I don’t think that’s far-fetched. That drives me.”

Penny Hardaway shared those sentiments with me before the start of his first season as basketball coach at the University of Memphis. The interview would inform a feature in which Memphis magazine named Hardaway its 2018 Memphian of the Year. (Yes, we named him MOY before he coached his first college game. Any questions about that now?) Hardaway did not say in that interview, “We want to win a national title in 2020.”
Larry Kuzniewski

Penny Hardaway, recruiting king.

He might say that today.

With Precious Achiuwa‘s announcement Friday (via social media) that he will play at the U of M, Hardaway has landed the top-ranked recruiting class in the country. Along with James Wiseman — the top-ranked player in the country, a center who starred at East High School for Hardaway — Achiuwa gives Memphis a pair of five-star recruits for the first time since Joe Jackson and Will Barton arrived on campus as part of Josh Pastner’s second recruiting class in 2010.

But the five-stars have a supporting cast. Forwards Malcolm Dandridge (another East product) and D.J. Jeffries have been signed for weeks, along with Tennessee Prep guard Damion Baugh. Guard Lester Quinones committed to Hardaway a week ago (which may have clinched Achiuwa, the two having played together for years) and Boogie Ellis signed on the blue-and-gray line earlier this week. All five players are considered four-star recruits by Rivals.

Achiuwa’s commitment pushes Memphis above Kentucky, Arizona, and Duke to number-one in the national rankings, according to 247Sports. When you add up the numbers, fully 10 percent of the country’s top 50 recruits (according to Rivals) are coming to play for Hardaway at Memphis. In order: Wiseman (1), Achiuwa (17), Ellis (37), Quinones (48), and Jeffries (50).

I recently asked someone close to Hardaway how he has reacted with the serial signings of superstars. Excitement? Delight? Does he consider this normal? The description I received: “Supreme confidence.”

Categories
Sports Tiger Blue

AAC Semifinals: #11 Houston 61, Tigers 58

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

An already uncomfortable drought for University of Memphis basketball fans grew by a year Saturday afternoon at FedExForum. In falling to the 11th-ranked Houston Cougars in the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference tournament, the Tigers fell short of an NCAA tournament berth for a fifth straight season. Having climbed into the program’s top 10 for both career points and assists, senior Jeremiah Martin must now wait for the possibility of an NIT appearance, his name now in the discussion of the greatest Tiger to never appear in the Big Dance.
Larry Kuzniewski

Jeremiah Martin

“We understood what they were gonna do,” said Memphis coach Penny Hardaway after the loss. “They come out hard, and play for 40 minutes. We just didn’t meet the challenge. We fought hard, and I’m proud of the guys for staying in the game. We just made too many mistakes in the game plan.”

Houston had a nine-point lead midway through the first half and led by 10 (36-26) at halftime. After a Tiger spurt to open the second half closed the margin to five points (36-31), the Cougars quickly regained command with five points in 40 seconds. Houston led by double digits for most of the second half until Memphis began a 10-1 run at the five-minute mark. Both Martin and freshman guard Tyler Harris had open looks at three-pointers to tie the game in the final thirty seconds but were unable to connect. Despite not scoring a point over the game’s final 3:47, Houston secured the win to advance to Sunday’s championship game. The Cougars are now 31-2 while the Tigers fell to 21-13.

Hardaway hopes for that NIT bid, primarily for the chance to extend Martin’s career. “[Jeremiah] has been our savior, honestly,” he said. “He put us on his back. We played him a ton of minutes, this last month and a half. He’s been here four years and will go down as one of the better guards we’ve had. I hope his season isn’t over.”

Martin managed to score 23 points despite shooting 5-for-24 from the field. (He hit 12 of 14 free throws.) “He’s a veteran,” acknowledged Houston coach Kelvin Sampson. “Lot of moxie.” Overall, the Tigers hit only 16 of 68 shots (24 percent) from the field. They stayed in the contest at the foul line, where they connected on 22 of 26 attempts and Houston missed 13 of 27. After contributing mightily to the Tigers’ quarterfinal upset of UCF Friday, the Tiger bench contributed only 13 points Saturday, with both Isaiah Maurice and Harris held scoreless.
Larry Kuzniewski

Penny Hardaway

Senior forward Kyvon Davenport was limited by soreness in one of his legs, an injury Hardaway only learned about prior to tip-off. Davenport scored eight points in 26 minutes, but was not on the floor for the decisive final minute of play.

All-conference guard Corey Davis led the Cougars with 17 points, the only other player besides Martin in double figures.

“I haven’t shot well this whole tournament,” acknowledged Martin. “Houston is gonna come with physicality. I thought I had the [tying] shot; it just didn’t go in.”

“I didn’t expect to have Rome built in a day,” said Hardaway. “I wanted to gradually get better. To be as good as we could be around this time, to be gelling. That’s what’s happened. The guys have grown a lot. We’re more defensive-minded.”

“Everything happens for a reason,” said Martin when asked about the disappointment of again coming up short of an NCAA tournament big. “I don’t question God; He knows my path. If we get into the NIT, I’m gonna go out and play hard, try to win it.”

“We had an opportunity,” said Hardaway. “We didn’t seize the moment, but we put ourselves in position, beating a good UCF team. I want to take the energy I felt going into this game to next season.”

The 32-team NIT field will be announced Sunday evening, shortly after the 68-team NCAA tournament field is complete.

Categories
Sports Tiger Blue

Jeremiah’s Time

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

Four Tiger basketball players who transferred to Memphis in 2017 will be saluted this Saturday at FedExForum, and rightfully so. But with due respect to Kareem Brewton Jr., Kyvon Davenport, Mike Parks Jr., and Raynere Thornton, let’s call this year’s Senior Day what it should be called: Jeremiah Martin Day in Memphis. A Tiger who averaged 2.7 points (and 13.8 minutes) per game as a freshman will likely finish his career among the top ten scorers in Memphis history and 10th in assists. There are precisely two other players over a century of Tiger basketball who rank as highly in both categories: Elliot Perry and Joe Jackson. Last month, the pride of Mitchell High School became the first Tiger to score 40 points in two games in a career (and he came three points shy of doing it a third time). A player who seemed misplaced upon his arrival will leave the program among the most memorable of all time. “It’s been a journey,” emphasizes Martin, “but it’s been great, no regrets. No looking back.”
Larry Kuzniewski

Martin’s journey has included time with three different head coaches: Josh Pastner his freshman season, two years with Tubby Smith, and this season under Penny Hardaway. His first practice was at the Larry Finch Center. His last will be at the extravagant Laurie-Walton Family Basketball Center. “It’s a different program,” says Martin. “Every coach has different philosophies. My first year was a struggle, the transition from high school. Coach Pastner was always on me about playing hard, making myself fit in. I was turned into a full-time point guard; that was one of the hardest parts. Coach Smith was about doing everything the right way. And Coach Hardaway shows us how to be a pro. He and the entire staff emphasize how to be a professional.”

Few players in Memphis history personify the concept of development at the college level like Martin. After stumbling as a freshman, Martin took command of the Tiger offense as a sophomore, handing out more than twice as many assists (142) as turnovers (63), then earned second-team all-conference honors in 2018 when he finished second in the American Athletic Conference in scoring (18.9 points per game). He recovered from a foot injury that ended his junior season and today represents his team’s only real chance to win the AAC tournament and capture a prize that’s eluded him to this point: an NCAA tournament berth.

“The one thing I didn’t know he could do is score in volume,” says Hardaway. “He averaged 19 points last year, but to score 40 in a half [as Martin did at USF]? To catch fire and catch rhythm like that? That’s amazing; he’s amazed me this year.”

Martin’s not at ease discussing his skill set, but acknowledges an improved jump shot magnified his threat on the offensive end. And then there’s confidence, the intangible that tends to grow exponentially when a player spends four years in college. “I can play at my own pace,” says Martin. “I can get players — on offense or defense — to play at my pace. I can speed them up, or change speeds. I didn’t envision myself being the same player I was last year. It comes with putting in the work.”

Martin counts Faragi Phillips, his coach at Mitchell (and currently the coach at Whitehaven High School), among those who’ve made the greatest impact on his rise as a player and person. He remains Memphis to the deepest part of his core, a connection he’s relished this winter as the city has come to appreciate and celebrate his remarkable play. “I could’ve left,” says Martin, “but I was loyal to the city, even more than the coaches. I love this city. I get to be with my family.”

With a one-year-old daughter, Martin has all the more reason to play near home, but he’s prepared for what’s next, wherever “next” may be. “I want to play in the NBA,” he says. “That’s my dream, what drives me. That should be everybody’s ultimate goal at this level. I want to be there, long term.” Whether or not his name gets called in June’s draft, Martin intends to play professionally, if not in the NBA, perhaps the G League or overseas. But for now, there are a few more games in blue and gray. Jeremiah Martin will finish his Tiger career as living proof that some stars shine brightest when not born, but made.

Categories
Sports Tiger Blue

Tigers 88, Wichita State 85

Jeremiah Martin‘s latest scoring surge helped the Tigers erase a four-point halftime deficit Saturday night at Wichita State and earn their fourth victory of the season away from FedExForum. Martin came up three points shy of his third 40-point outing of the month, drilling nine of 19 shots from the field (including five of eight three-point attempts) and connecting on all 14 of his free throws. The 37 points vaulted Martin past Andre Turner and into 13th on the Memphis alltime scoring chart.

The Tigers earned their third two-game sweep in American Athletic Conference play by beating the Shockers. (They also swept East Carolina and Tulane.) Memphis improves to 9-6 in the AAC and 17-11 overall. The Tigers trail UCF (9-4) by two games in the loss column for fourth place in the conference, a position that would earn them a bye in the opening round of next month’s AAC tournament in Memphis.

Raynere Thornton added 16 points and Kareem Brewton 14 for the Tigers. Memphis shot 46 percent from the field.

Dexter Dennis and Jaime Echenique scored 17 points to the lead the Shockers who fell to 13-13 on the season (6-8 in the AAC).

The win — the Tigers’ fourth in five games — clinches a .500 record for Memphis in the AAC. They have three regular-season games remaining on the schedule, the next a home matchup with Temple on Tuesday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Categories
Sports Tiger Blue

Tigers 78, UConn 71

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

The time will come, surely, when Memphis-UConn on a Sunday in mid-February is one of college basketball’s spotlight games. Here in 2019, though, the clash at FedExForum was merely a pair of proud programs taking strides toward re-establishing national credentials under first-year coaches. Penny Hardaway’s Tigers led from start to finish, with senior Kyvon Davenport scoring 26 points to thrill a crowd of 17,162. Husky coach Dan Hurley — among the most animated sideline maestros in the sport — was left to envision a future encounter.
Larry Kuzniewski

Kyvon Davenport

“I told Penny in the handshake line that I don’t expect to come into this matchup [both] 13-10 very frequently in the future,” said Hurley after the game. “It stings, it hurts, it’s not something we’re used to at Connecticut. “

The Tigers led from start to finish, by as many as 16 points and by no fewer than four points in the second half to end a three-game losing streak, the first such skid for Hardaway as a college coach. Memphis started five seniors for the second straight game, and Hurley recognized an edge.

“The number of seniors they play made the difference,” said Hurley. “Davenport was the key to the game. To see our future out there, playing against some men, is a good thing.”

Senior guard Jeremiah Martin scored 12 points, handed out six assists and hit a pair of clutch free throws in the game’s final minute that gave the Tigers a six-point advantage (76-70), enough to clinch the victory. Raynere Thornton added 11 points and eight rebounds.
Larry Kuzniewski

Penny Hardaway

Freshman Tyler Harris came off the bench and scored 12 points for Memphis. He found Davenport on a pair of no-look feeds in the second half that sparked the Tiger attack. “I love to get him good passes,” said the former Cordova High School star. “He dunks and gets the crowd fired up.”

The win improves Memphis to 14-10 and 6-5 in the American Athletic Conference while UConn drops to 13-11 (5-6).

Four Huskies scored in double figures, led by sophomore forward Tyler Polley with 20 points.

“We have to be desperate,” said Hardaway. “We’ll have some lulls, but for the most part, we have to play as hard as we can. We knew we had to get this win; it was a must-win.”

The Tigers shot well across the board, hitting 48 percent from the floor, 38 percent (8 for 21) from three-point range, and 89 percent (14 for 16) from the free throw line. Defensively, they held UConn to 40 percent shooting and forced 18 turnovers.

Hardaway and Hurley first met as teenage players in a camp more than two decades ago. The Memphis coach sees their new career stage as one that can be memorable for both programs. “There are going to be some competitive games between us, moving forward, and today was one of those,” said Hardaway.

With seven regular-season games remaining on the Memphis schedule, Hardaway suggested his seniors will make the difference, one way or the other, just as Hurley felt they did Sunday afternoon. “This is a veteran’s league,” said Hardaway. “The older guys are getting it done. Younger guys chip in where they can, but if we’re going to win, we need those five seniors to show up, every time.”

The Tigers travel to East Carolina for their next game, where they’ll play the Pirates Wednesday night.

Categories
Sports Tiger Blue

#25 Cincinnati 69, Tigers 64

“They imposed their will on us. They’re just tougher.” — Penny Hardaway

Tiger coach Penny Hardaway has spoken publicly this winter of the envy he feels rival coaches suffer as he and his staff begin to make an impact on the college basketball landscape. Thursday night at FedExForum, Hardaway shook hands — twice — with the standard he must reach himself if that impact is to be the kind Memphis fans expect. His second handshake with Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin was of the congratulatory sort, the Bearcats having come from 11 points down in the second half to earn their eighth straight win and hand the Tigers their fourth consecutive loss.

Penny Hardaway and Mick Cronin

“[Cronin] has been there 13 years,” noted Hardaway after the game. “He’s found his system, his rhythm on players. As far as our players, you can’t put toughness in someone. You have to go out and battle.”

Five days after scoring 41 points in the second half at USF, Tiger guard Jeremiah Martin scored 12 points in the first seven minutes against Cincinnati to energize a FedExForum crowd of 16,363. When Isaiah Maurice converted a jump-hook five minutes before halftime, the Tigers took a lead (27-26) they wouldn’t surrender for the next 19 minutes of game time. But Bearcat guard Justin Jenifer drained a three-pointer to seize the lead back for the visitors with 5:50 left in the game, part of a 10-0 run that erased a 52-46 Memphis lead. Martin twice pulled the Tigers within three points in the game’s final three minutes, but Jarron Cumberland all but sealed the win with a floater off the glass to give Cincinnati a 65-59 cushion with a minute to play.

“We didn’t rebound well in the second half and they got some easy buckets,” acknowledged Martin, who finished with 26 points in 38 minutes of action.

“You learn from teams you play,” added Mike Parks Jr., who scored 11 points and grabbed nine rebounds. “We’re trying. Ultimately, it’s about toughness, and they were the tougher team today.”

The Bearcats won the 78th meeting between these two programs despite the Tigers’ making more field goals (25-23). Cincinnati hit eight of their first 10 three-point attempts and finished the game with 11 from long distance to the Tigers’ 10. But Cincinnati made 12 of 22 free throw attempts, while the Tigers only hit four of eight from the charity stripe.

The loss drops Memphis to 13-10 for the season and 5-5 in the American Athletic Conference. The Tigers have lost four of five games, a slog Hardaway didn’t suffer in two years as a player for the program. Cincinnati improves to 20-3 and 9-1 in the AAC.

“It took us some time to adjust to their quickness and speed,” said Bearcat coach Mick Cronin, who earned his 288th win in 13 seasons on the Cincinnati bench. “We gave up more points in the paint [28] than we typically do. I thought we might have to win this game 85-80. We’re still learning how hard you have to play to win a game like this.”

Kyvon Davenport scored 12 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season. The Tigers only got four points from the freshman trio of Tyler Harris, Alex Lomax, and Antwann Jones (all of them scored by Jones).

“[Cincinnati] has a winning tradition,” said Hardaway. “They’ve been going to the NCAA tournament for a while. They’ve bought into everything their coach is telling them. Every single minute they’re on the floor, they’re going all-out. That makes it hard for us. We haven’t gotten to that level yet. We needed to execute better, to not take bad shots. We needed to get stops. And we just couldn’t do it.”

It wasn’t so much an envious coach highlighting a counterpart’s strengths, but a first-year coach acknowledging much work remains to be done for his program to match the standard set by a 13-year veteran. More handshakes between Hardaway and Cronin to come.

The Tigers return to FedExForum Sunday to host Connecticut. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.