Team Tennessee Glory 13U finishes 3rd in AAU Nationals

from commerialappeal.com


The Tennessee Glory girls 13-and-under basketball team was all business during its recent trip to Orlando. And it paid off as the Glory placed third in the 64-team AAU national tournament.

"I told them, we're not going down there for summer vacation; this is a business trip," said head coach Michelle Malone. "We were dead-dog tired after playing two games a day and we were six points away from being in the championship game.

"We're a first-year team and one of our organizers said 'I was just expecting you not to get embarrassed and you came back with some hardware.'"

And they did it with the youngest coaching staff at the tournament. Both Malone and her assistant, Crystal Shelton, are 24 and not very far removed from their playing days at CBU.

"At registration there were a couple of girls from another team ... thinking we were players," Malone said. "It's a tough balancing act; we're like older sisters (to the players), but at the same time we have to demand that respect."

Part of the AAU process involves getting players ready for the high school season and Malone said it's especially important at this age group. She said her goal is for her players to make the varsity at the respective schools once the season starts.

Some of those players to keep an eye on are shooting guard Brenna Cowans -- "a workhorse on offense and defense," said Malone -- and twin guards Elise and Brynn Holden.

Then there's point guard Emanye Robertson, who Malone said underwent a bit of a personality change in order to help the Glory nab the bronze medal.

"She's shy, so to see her get to nationals and open up her mouth and talk ... it brought out another side of her," Malone said.

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