What a successful long weekend it was for the Memphis Tigers basketball team in Fort Worth, Texas, and what a busy week it was for The Daily Memphian sports staff.

Parth Upadhyaya, Tim Buckley and Geoff Calkins all were on hand as Memphis beat UAB on Sunday in the American Athletic Conference’s title game and claimed its place in the NCAA Tournament, where it will open Friday in Seattle against Mountain West Tournament winner Colorado State.

Calkins captured the scene and addressed Memphis’ No. 5 seed, Buckley caught up with Tigers athletic director Ed Scott for his thoughts on the job coach Penny Hardaway has done this season, and Upadhyaya reported on starting point guard Tyrese Hunter’s injury and much more.

On Saturday, Buckley and Upadhyaya also delivered another installment in their ongoing series on the 1984-85 Tigers team that made it to the Final Four.

Drew Hill and Frank Bonner II also have been pitching in on pre-NCAA Tournament coverage, including Hill’s piece on local players headed to the Big Dance and Bonner’s on former Tiger and ex-Memphis assistant coach Tony Madlock taking son TJ Madlock, a Houston High product, and the rest of his Alabama State team to the tourney after claiming the SWAC’s automatic bid.

Hill also has been busy with his usual Grizzlies coverage, including a super piece on Ja Morant’s and Desmond Bane’s involvement in AAU basketball, while Chris Herrington delivered some terrific stories on Tony Allen’s jersey retirement.

The Grizzlies remain on the road out West and don’t return home until facing the Los Angeles Lakers on March 29.

John Varlas, meanwhile, was in Murfreesboro for the Division 1 girls state basketball tournament last week and wrote about Bartlett High making its third consecutive trip to the championship game. Varlas also previewed the six Memphis-area teams still in the hunt for the boys state basketball championships starting Wednesday at the Murphy Center in Murfreesboro.

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

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Calkins: The Tigers are No. 1 again! (But even better, they're No. 5) By Geoff Calkins

Buckley: Last season was a mess. What does Ed Scott think of Penny now? By Tim Buckley

Will injured Tyrese Hunter, Dante Harris play for the Tigers at NCAA Tournament? By Parth Upadhyaya

‘Next man up’: Depleted Tigers ready to fight heading into March Madness By Parth Upadhyaya

The upbringing: Two 1984-85 Tigers came so far from so little By Tim Buckley, Parth Upadhyaya

Who's dancing? A list of local players headed to the NCAA Tournament By Drew Hill

Former Tiger Tony Madlock leads Alabama State to the Big Dance By Frank Bonner II

Ja Morant, Desmond Bane aim to create better AAU experience than their own By Drew Hill

The Birth of Grit and Grind: Remembering Tony Allen’s improbable Grizzlies breakthrough By Chris Herrington

The Birth of Grit and Grind: How Tony Allen completed the Grizzlies By Chris Herrington

Boys state tournament preview: Six area teams in the hunt for state titles By John Varlas

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