Why CBU's Ragi Phillips is excited about exhibition vs. Memphis – and why his father isn't

Christian Brothers University guard Ragi Phillips has been anxiously awaiting, even counting down to Sunday, for months.

Ever since his father, Faragi, joined the Memphis basketball coaching staff as an assistant in June, Ragi has had the 4 p.m. exhibition game against the Tigers circled, underlined and highlighted.

“It’s all anybody talks about,” said Ragi, one of Faragi’s four sons, who prepped at Whitehaven when his father was head coach there.

Entering his second season with the Bucs, Ragi is decidedly excited about a handful of opportunities before him. He has several objectives, with winning the obvious top priority. Ragi wants to get better and set a tone for what he hopes will be a big season. He’s also looking forward to proving he belongs on the same court as the likes of Tiger stars Kendric Davis and Alex Lomax.

Faragi, however, doesn’t share his son’s anticipatory outlook. As a key member of Penny Hardaway’s brain trust, he’s not quite as enthusiastic about Sunday’s game. In fact, he’s not looking forward to it at all, admitting he’s never been as conflicted about anything else.

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“It’s a double-edged sword for me. It’s my son. I want him to play well,” said Faragi. “But obviously, I want our team to win and come out and give a great performance. That’s my son, but I’m blue and blue all the way through.”

Apart from the familial subplot, the exhibition game will be the first time many – if not all – of Memphis’ newcomers will be on the court at FedExForum in a Tigers uniform. But most eyes will be on Davis, last season’s AAC Player of the Year and the top transfer in the country this offseason. Davis is a kind of weapon Hardaway hasn’t yet had in his four-season tenure at Memphis. How he adjusts to his new surroundings will be one of the focal points of the Tigers’ season.

Christian Brothers, on the other hand, is aiming to take a step forward after a 10-16 campaign. The Bucs, who upset the Tigers back in 2014, have not had a winning season since 2019. But John T. Reilly’s squad returns its top five scorers from last year, led by 6-6 forward Daniel Loos.

“We have people that really want to win,” Ragi said. “We have people that have won championships at the collegiate level. If everybody buys in, I think this year will be the year we do something memorable.”

If Ragi knows his father, though, Sunday will be an uphill battle. Because of who he is, he also expects there will be a target on his back.

“I know they’re gonna try to go after me,” said Ragi, who is also close with Hardaway, Lomax, Jayden Hardaway and Malcolm Dandridge. “If I was playing against my coach’s son, I’m fixing to have to go at him, just because that’s his son. (But) I’m not planning on doing anything different. Just trust the work. Me and my dad have been grinding all summer, working out. Just got to trust that.”

Perhaps the most important question in the father-vs.-son storyline: Where does wife-and-mother Lori and the rest of the Phillips family sit during the game? Ragi said even though everyone wants to wear Bucs apparel and sit on the Christian Brothers side, he hopes they’ll sit closer to the Memphis bench for the better seats.

If it’s up to Faragi, though, that won’t happen.

“I told everybody they’ve got to sit with him,” he said. “I’ll be locked in with what we have to do to be the best team we can possibly be this year. But I want my family to support him and be loud and cheer for him.

“My heart will be with him, too.”

Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Father, son on opposite sidelines of Memphis basketball exhibition