KNOXVILLE - New University of Tennessee women's basketball coach Kellie Harper picked up her first commitment for the 2020 signing class over the weekend, when Greenfield guard Tess Darby gave a nonbinding pledge to the program.
The 6-foot-1 Darby was a Miss Basketball finalist as a sophomore, averaging 15.2 points and 4.9 rebounds a game for the 2017-18 season and helping the Lady Yellowjackets win the Class A state title. As a junior, her production swelled to 19.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.7 steals, but Greenfield's bid to repeat fell short in the state semifinals.
She averaged 15.7 points and 6.3 rebounds during the state tournament as a sophomore and 12.5 points, 10 rebounds and four assists during the state tournament as a junior.
Rated a four-star prospect by ProspectsNation.com, she spent this past summer playing for Tennessee Flight Silver EYBL and received offers from Georgia Tech, Illinois, Texas Tech and West Virginia - but she wasted little time choosing the Lady Volunteers after receiving an offer in late September.
Tennessee is expected to lose two players, both forwards, after the 2019-20 season: Lou Brown, who has been granted a sixth season of eligibility, and senior Kamera Harris.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3 or at Facebook.com/VolsUpdate.