LeMoyne-Owen School, an HBCU in Memphis, TN, has named Faragi Phillips, an assistant coach on the College of Memphis beneath Penny Hardaway, its new head males’s basketball coach.
After two difficult seasons, LeMoyne-Owen seeks to rebuild its basketball program. Phillips brings useful expertise to this HBCU. Throughout his time there, the Tigers achieved a few of their greatest ends in years.
In Phillips’s first season beneath Penny Hardaway, the crew posted a 26-9 report. They gained their first American Athletic Convention (AAC) championship and defeated the #1-ranked Houston Cougars. That victory marked the primary time in program historical past that Memphis beat the top-ranked crew within the nation. The Tigers additionally earned back-to-back NCAA Event appearances throughout Phillips’ tenure.
Phillips performed a key position in participant improvement. He helped information All-American guard Kendric Davis, who led the AAC in scoring and assists and earned MVP honors within the convention match. As well as, David Jones emerged as a high performer, incomes All-AAC First Staff recognition and main the league in scoring.
Faragi Phillips
Earlier than becoming a member of Memphis, Phillips labored as an assistant at Vanderbilt College beneath Jerry Stackhouse. There, he helped develop future NBA gamers Aaron Nesmith and Saben Lee. He additionally mentored Scotty Pippen Jr., who led the scoring within the SEC.
Phillips now takes over the LeMoyne-Owen Magicians from former NBA star Bonzi Wells. Wells served as head coach from 2021 to 2024. Throughout his time, this system targeted on participant improvement however struggled to attain constant success on the court docket.
A former standout at Mississippi Valley State—one other HBCU— Faragi Phillips led the Delta Devils to the 1996 NCAA Event, the place they confronted the Allen Iverson-led Georgetown Hoyas. Together with his first-hand understanding of the historical past and worth of traditionally Black faculties and universities, his return to HBCU basketball brings hope for a contemporary begin at LeMoyne-Owen.
Waiting for the 2025–26 season, Phillips plans to concentrate on recruiting and constructing a aggressive crew. Together with his expertise and deep Memphis ties, the Magicians could also be poised for a turnaround.
