CaribouJim
06-12-2013, 11:32 AM
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/playoffs/2013/05/23/memphis-grizzlies-lionel-hollins-penny-hardaway-josh-pastner-keith-lee/2356307/
The influence of Memphis high schools, however, is strong throughout college basketball: Minnesota, North Carolina and Ole Miss all had starters from Memphis last season and the Memphis Tigers, who went 31-5, had four local players among their top-five scorers. Next season, consensus top-100 recruits will enroll at Memphis (Austin Nichols, Nick King, Markel Crawford), Marquette (JaJuan Johnson) and Missouri (Johnathan Williams) and Louisville's starting point guard is expected to be transfer Chris Jones.
The local culture is so competitive, the last six champions in the state's largest division in are all different schools, but all within the Memphis City School system.
"I think those kids play with a chip on their shoulder," said Steve Forbes, Jones' coach at Northwest Florida junior college and a former Tennessee assistant.
"You go to those are bigger metropolitan areas but year in and year out I'd put Memphis up against any of them player-wise. Those kids are just tough, and they like to play. It's an unbelievable culture and if you've never been there to see it you probably wouldn't understand it. Kids are brought up at a young age to appreciate the game and be competitive. They love high school basketball, love Tiger basketball and now they love the Grizzlies."
I'm drawing a blank on MU players from Memphis - Michael Wilson is the only one I can think of.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcuEIuTagg0
The influence of Memphis high schools, however, is strong throughout college basketball: Minnesota, North Carolina and Ole Miss all had starters from Memphis last season and the Memphis Tigers, who went 31-5, had four local players among their top-five scorers. Next season, consensus top-100 recruits will enroll at Memphis (Austin Nichols, Nick King, Markel Crawford), Marquette (JaJuan Johnson) and Missouri (Johnathan Williams) and Louisville's starting point guard is expected to be transfer Chris Jones.
The local culture is so competitive, the last six champions in the state's largest division in are all different schools, but all within the Memphis City School system.
"I think those kids play with a chip on their shoulder," said Steve Forbes, Jones' coach at Northwest Florida junior college and a former Tennessee assistant.
"You go to those are bigger metropolitan areas but year in and year out I'd put Memphis up against any of them player-wise. Those kids are just tough, and they like to play. It's an unbelievable culture and if you've never been there to see it you probably wouldn't understand it. Kids are brought up at a young age to appreciate the game and be competitive. They love high school basketball, love Tiger basketball and now they love the Grizzlies."
I'm drawing a blank on MU players from Memphis - Michael Wilson is the only one I can think of.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcuEIuTagg0