Falkirk Fury: Club could enjoy most successful season yet

Sony Centre Fury Basketball Club will boast 15 teams in season 19-20, with as always, key interest in the senior men’s team.
Falkirk Fury v Boroughmuir Blaze. Senior Men. Bantu Burroughs 5. (picture: Michael Gillen)Falkirk Fury v Boroughmuir Blaze. Senior Men. Bantu Burroughs 5. (picture: Michael Gillen)
Falkirk Fury v Boroughmuir Blaze. Senior Men. Bantu Burroughs 5. (picture: Michael Gillen)

A number of changes have taken place in the side that won last season’s Scottish Men’s Cup and were Runners–up in the Division 1 Championship and Play-Off Finals.

Bulgarian Boris Matrakov – voted MVP of the Scottish League in season 18-19 – has returned home to Bulgaria, with Austrian Adam Hammerschmidt – MVP of the Scottish Cup Final and four-time title winner with Fury – moving to rivals St Mirren.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But Fury’s head coach John Bunyan has not been watching a decline in his team, in fact the opposite. With key signings in two Chinese players and one Australian, the Falkirk side is potentially stronger than ever. Add to that imminent signing of an American, former NCAA College player, the re-signing

Falkirk Fury Senior Women v St Mirren (picture: Alan Murray)Falkirk Fury Senior Women v St Mirren (picture: Alan Murray)
Falkirk Fury Senior Women v St Mirren (picture: Alan Murray)

of a key point guard and former Glasgow Rocks Bantua Burroughs, the Fury side could well start favourites for the three titles up for grabs.

Fury Men, who are well into their pre-season training, play Boroughmuir Blaze, this Friday on the road at 8.15pm at the Crags SC, where some of these recent signings are likely to get their first taste of action for the club.

Fury Men are also lined up to have a closed doors game v Inverness Lions and a huge match on September 9 at their home court – Grangemouth SC at 7.15pm against a USA Select touring side that will consist of former US college players. The US side are playing the pro Glasgow Rocks the day before.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Fury in turn will have a friendly against the Scotland’s only pro side – the Rocks, where no fewer than three former Fury players will be in the Glasgow side’s roster this season. That match will be on October 30 with a 7.30pm tip and is likely to be all ticket.

Falkirk Fury junior men v West Lothian Wolves. (picture: Jamie Forbes)Falkirk Fury junior men v West Lothian Wolves. (picture: Jamie Forbes)
Falkirk Fury junior men v West Lothian Wolves. (picture: Jamie Forbes)

The Fury Men’s opening game of the season is at home on September 13 against – St Mirren – a testing match for two sides expected to finish as usual in the top four of Division 1.

Fury Women have also lost a key player with Jenna Beattie moving to the WBBL and Caledonia Pride, but for Beattie now, read Baird, as former Fury and Scotland International Gillian Baird returns to Falkirk. Last in action for Fury nine seasons ago, Baird has played WBBL for Loughborough and won British titles with Nottingham Wildcats.

The senior women play Edinburgh Kool Kats this weekend in a pre-season match, before they open up against St.Mirren on September 14 at home.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Fury will have 13 under age sides competing at the highest level in Scotland from U10 through to U18. Fury U18 Men took the Scottish Division 1 title for the second season in a row in 18-19 and will be looking for the treble. Last season the JM also won the Play-Off title and they open up this weekend with friendly against Edinburgh Kings.

Fury Cadet Men – who boast nearly all of the Championship and Scottish Cup winning U14 Fury side from last season, head to Inverness this weekend for a pre-season tournament.

Related topics: