The 13th Annual MaxPreps Tour of Champions presented by the Army National Guard passed through Tennessee on Thursday, May 10 to honor
Memphis East (Memphis, Tenn.) High School and its boys basketball team for winning a state championship and earning a high national ranking.
Having upended Whitehaven 72-50 in the
TSSAA Division I Class 3A state championship contest, the 31-3 Mustangs claimed Memphis East's third straight state basketball title, earned the No. 2 ranking in
MaxPreps' National Rankings and played their way into the
MaxPreps Xcellent 25 Writers' Poll at No. 4!
The Tennessee Army National Guard and MaxPreps, who selected Memphis East to be one of 10 boys basketball programs to receive an invitation to the Tour of Champions, joined forces in celebrating Mustang basketball at a school assembly in the school's gymnasium.
A DJ jammed to the student body's favorite tunes as students, the faculty, family and Mustang fans filed into the gymnasium. Once the already fired up crowd settled into its seats, Memphis East High School kicked off the assembly by introducing its championship teams one by one.
MaxPreps representative Ray Dungee opened the round ball celebration by recapping Memphis East's boys basketball season and explaining MaxPreps' ranking system for the Tour of Champions. Dungee then thanked the Army National Guard for its continued partnership and introduced Staff Sergeant Joseph Lane from the Tennessee Army National Guard.
SSG Lane spoke briefly about teamwork, perseverance, commitment to cause, dedication and the pursuit of excellence, shared character traits of a state championship basketball team and the Army National Guard, before presenting the Army National Guard national ranking trophy to assistant coach Jevonte Holmes and the Mustangs.
Former Memphis East head basketball coach and NBA star Penny Hardaway wasn't able to attend the assembly because he was already on the job as the new head basketball coach at the University of Memphis. Holmes expressed his gratitude and thanked MaxPreps and the Tennessee Army National Guard for the prestigious award and national recognition. Once Memphis East received the trophy, Mustang players cut down the basketball nets as the student body cheered proudly. It was a special morning at Memphis East High School!
Congratulations Memphis East boys basketball on winning the state championship for the third straight year and finishing No. 2 in the nation! Click
here to view the Memphis East TOC photo gallery and for more information about the Basketball TOC, please visit the
MaxPreps Tour of Champions site.
