The Tigers have extended coach Penny Hardaway’s current contract by two seasons to run through the end of the 2027-28 season.

Fans can buy apparel of their favorite Memphis football player and a percentage of sales goes straight to the athlete. 

The Tigers finished 16-12 overall and 6-9 in AAC play last season. Under head coach Katrina Merriweather, the team quadrupled its win total from the 2020-21 campaign and recorded its first 15-win season since 2015-16. 

Memphis was the only team to have more than one of its players receive All-AAC first-team honors. Houston was picked to win the AAC in the preseason coaches poll. 

John Varlas — who covers preps for this publication — has done something that should inspire the rest of us Memphians. He’s lost 143 pounds. 

Riley Stooksbury preserves victory in penalty shootout, sending Gryphons into Thursday’s region tournament final.

Desmond Bane was efficient with 33 points on 61% shooting, but the rest of the Grizzlies struggled to make shots in the preseason loss to Orlando. 

Related story:

Herrington: Jaren Jackson Jr.’s absence could be instructive for Grizzlies

Bronny James, the son of future Hall-of-Famer LeBron James and a four-star recruit in the 2023 class, will play in the Mid-South Basketball Classic on Oct. 22 at Collierville High School’s MTM Fieldhouse.

Memphis-area volleyball teams are into post-season tournament play. Find the latest results and schedules here.

After becoming the first commit in head coach Penny Hardaway’s 2023 class, it’s safe to say Ryan Forrest is no longer a secret or hidden gem.

Cowboys running back Tony Pollard had his longest run of the season when he broke for a 57-yard touchdown to help Dallas defeat the Rams.

Will the Grizzlies be able to play high-level defense without Jackson? Can they construct a rotation without miring themselves in unworkable combinations? 

The running back scored three touchdowns as the Mustangs knock Collierville from the ranks of the unbeaten. Check out the other top performers from last week in football, girls soccer, volleyball, golf and cross country.

Ryan Forrest — a 6-foot-3 three-star shooting guard — committed to the Tigers via Instagram Live on Monday evening. Forrest plays at Missouri’s Link Academy and is the No. 37 shooting guard in the country per 247Sports.

Both Houston and Collierville appear in the AP Top 10 for the state’s Division I - Class 6A.

The late-game collapse has fans wondering if the Tigers can recover from such a demoralizing loss. Head coach Ryan Silverfield believes they can. 

Related story:

Tigers announce kickoff time for Tulane game

Ja Morant has put in a lot of work this summer, especially on his long-range jump shot. He has two more opportunities this week to fine-tune everything before the regular season begins next week.

Related story:

Grizzlies Insider: Joyful players relish growing fan support

Standouts from Brighton, Central, Melrose, Oakhaven and Whitehaven are up for consideration this week. 

Related story:

Eight Memphis-area high schools appear in AP football rankings

The Grizzlies coaches and players were impressed by the number of fans at the open practice on Sunday. As the team’s popularity continues to rise, so does the desire for tickets. 

Kickoff time is set for the Tigers’ Oct. 22 game against Tulane in New Orleans, which will be aired on ESPN2 or ESPNU. 

In what appears to be an intentional effort, Memphis didn’t land a single recruit from the Class of 2022. And, as a result, 13 of the 16 players on the Tigers’ roster are either true juniors or older. 

It was possibly the biggest crowd ever for a Grizzlies’ open practice, and the entertainment included Kennedy Chandler being voted champion of the rookie dance competition.

The high school cross-country races Saturday evening capped off a series of elementary, middle and high school races at the event created in 1989 to honor the former CBHS cross country and track distance coach.

Memphis Tigers Kendric Davis and Alex Lomax have yet to play a game alongside each other, leaving many wondering how the point guards will jell — on and off the court.

The challenge moving forward is to figure out how to put together a complete game before the chance to capitalize on a wide-open American Athletic Conference gets wasted with another mediocre season.