Tennessee Fury Ready For First DSC Appearance

Over the past five years, the Tennessee Fury has grown to become the largest AAU organization in the Volunteer State. That growth has spurred the Fury to search out greater challenges, which is why the program will make its first appearance at the Deep South Classic this year.

“We’ve been aware of the Deep South Classic, and we were looking to do something bigger that weekend,” explained Fury coach John Kenny. “When we talked to other clubs, everyone gave us a good review, so we’re excited about the event.”

The 2015 Deep South Classic will be played in Raleigh, NC on April 24-26. The Deep South Classic, which annually features the nation’s top travel programs, will once again have the entire tournament in one facility — the tremendous Raleigh Convention Center.

The Fury will be bringing it’s most competitive teams to Raleigh, but the club’s depth is impressive. This year Kenny believes his program will include about 20 girls teams and 12 boys teams. The club has grown at a remarkable rate since its inception in 2009.

“We’re a non-profit that is all about the kids,” Kenny explained. “We do a lot of different things to keep the kids at all levels moving forward. We have year-round rec leagues, but our emphasis is to do whatever we can for the kids, whether you’re talking about basketball or other areas.

“The other advantage we have is that we are fairly well funded. We have some strong corporate partners, and that doesn’t hurt. They appreciate that we are a faith-based organization that wants to compete. In basketball, we want to continue to get better all the time. At the same time, we want to do a lot of good things through the framework of basketball. This is about making a real impact in our community.”

The Fury has a number of athletes who can make a serious impact on the basketball court. The club’s top three prospects heading into the travel season are Madison Brantley (2016, 5-11, WF), Karen Donahue (2016, 5-10, WF) and Abby Cornelius (2018, 6-2, PF).

“Madison brings athleticism and length to the perimeter, and she is an excellent shot blocker,” Kenny said. “She attacks the basket very well, and she is a good perimeter shooter. Karen also excels at attacking the basket. She is right-handed, but she is very good with her left hand. She is very, very skilled, and she could play the point. Abby is a player who can play the post, but she can also handle the ball. She is very skilled for her size and age, she runs the floor extremely well, and she is an excellent defender in the post.”

All Star Girls Report analyst Bret McCormick also added his perspective on the Fury standouts.

“Brantley is a hard-working athlete who could play multiple positions,” McCormick said. “Donahue is another versatile athlete. She has a good skill set, and she really understands the game. Cornelius has a high motor. She can post up, but she can also face up out to 16 feet, and she can put the ball on the floor.”