Drew Hill hit the road for a pair of Memphis Grizzlies games last weekend and brought home quite a variety of stories, highlighting The Daily Memphian sports staff’s work for the week.

After Chris Herrington covered Ja Morant’s 29-point Halloween night masterpiece against the Milwaukee Bucks last Thursday, Hill wrote on all the right stuff Jay Huff did in Saturday night’s win at Philadelphia. Hill also spun quite a yarn about a Grizzlies fan in Philly who spent more than 40 hours knitting a Jaren Jackson Jr. jersey. And he chronicled rookie Zach Edey’s super effort that went for naught in a loss at Brooklyn on Monday night.

Hill and the Grizzlies are back in Memphis for Wednesday night’s visit to FedExForum from LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, the start of consecutive home games — also including Friday night’s visit from the Washington Wizards — before Memphis opens a four-game swing out West on Sunday night in Portland.

Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers, meanwhile, opened their season in fine fashion with Monday night’s win against Missouri. Tulsa transfer guard P.J. Haggerty helped spur the come-from-behind win with his 22 second-half points, as Tim Buckley wrote.

Before the victory, Buckley wrote on how things have changed for Hardaway since his first game coaching the Tigers in 2018 and what new Memphis athletic director Ed Scott had to say about how the former NBA star is adapting to all that comes with today’s game while Geoff Calkins opined on just what a pivotal seventh season it is for Hardaway.

Parth Upadhyaya was all over the news and pregame set-up, from his preseason predictions to reporting on Tyreek Smith’s decision to leave the program due to a dispute over NIL payments and Tyrese Hunter’s stirring halftime message for teammates in the Missouri game.

Upadhyaya and Hardaway’s Tigers hit the road themselves for Saturday’s game against UNLV in Las Vegas.

Frank Bonner II, meanwhile, was in San Antonio last Saturday as Ryan Silverfield’s Tigers all but took themselves out of the American Athletic Conference title chase with its upset loss to UTSA. John Martin weighed in on the loss from home. Bonner will be at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium on Friday night, when Rice visits Memphis for a late-starting AAC game.

On the preps front, John Varlas delivered the news of Houston High’s big win against previously undefeated Collierville — a battle for the new “Mayor’s Trophy,” as Abigail Warren reported — heading into TSSAA state championship football play that opens Thursday night and continues with a heavy slate of games Friday night.

Here’s a look at some of the staff’s top work from the week: — Deputy sports editor Tim Buckley

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'Huff stuff' highlights Grizzlies' victory over Sixers By Drew Hill

Knit one, purl two, J three: Vest grabs attention of Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. By Drew Hill

Historic Zach Edey breakout spoiled in loss to Brooklyn By Drew Hill

Memphis claws back for season-opening win over Mizzou By Parth Upadhyaya

Buckley: Penny Hardaway heard the boos. P.J. Haggerty heard nothing. By Tim Buckley

Buckley: Tony Bennett walked away from college basketball. Penny Hardaway isn't going anywhere. By Tim Buckley

Calkins: It's a pivotal year for Penny Hardaway — and us By Geoff Calkins

Memphis basketball forecast: Predictions for the Tigers’ 2024-25 season By Parth Upadhyaya

Memphis' Tyreek Smith enters transfer portal By Parth Upadhyaya

Martin: How Memphis football went from College GameDay to ‘shame’ By John Martin

Houston hands Collierville its first defeat, wins Region 8-6A By John Varlas

'Mayor’s Trophy' is new prize for longstanding rivalry By Abigail Warren

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