Tifton, GA. – Basketball season has officially arrived! Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) hosted its doubleheader opening game against the East Georgia State College Lady Bobcats and the Christian Community College Knights.
ABAC 81-East Georgia State 80
The ABAC Fillies, who valiantly throughout the first half, kicked off the event and went into halftime with a 20-point lead.
Coming out of halftime, the Fillies hit the ground running, gaining possession of the ball, and playing aggressively to maintain their lead. Despite controversial calls from the referees and on-court conflicts, the ladies kept their momentum and focused on the game.
Shakiria Chaney, a Tifton native, was a powerhouse on the court. Despite being fouled at the start of the second half, she made her free throws and kept her head in the game. Chaney was not afraid to play physically to ensure the team’s victory. She played confidently, relying on her teammates when the opportunity arose. “I feel good [about today’s win],” she said. “To be able to be up at halftime with a brand-new team. Being able to play through adversity shows that we’re better than people think we are.”
When asked what she was looking forward to this season she said, “I’m looking forward to being in places they don’t expect us to be. Bringing more diversity to the school and town and bringing our community together.”
Despite ABAC’s 20-point lead at halftime, the Lady Bobcats managed to close the gap, being down by four at one point. Just like The Fillies, The Lady Bobcats fought their hardest to catch up but, during the second half, the Fillies never lost their lead.
Emily Gamon played strong to the very end, shooting two free throws with six seconds left on the clock. She is a fundamentally sound player who is aggressive on defense and offense.
For the game’s duration, fans were cheering and tuned in to what was happening on the court, but the crowd increased their intensity during the last five minutes. The cheering and excitement were infectious and pushed the Fillies to finish the last quarter strong.
The Fillies won their season opener, 80-81. “This was a tremendous win and a great way to start back a program. This is a tremendous day,” Coach Chuck Wimberly said. When asked about his expectations for this season he said, “ One game at a time. We’ll keep getting better and perform at a great level. Today is a great day for the program.”
ABAC 83-Christian Community College 63
After The Fillies’s exciting win, it was The Stallions’s turn to show off their skills. Before the game began, Coach Sinkfield and the men’s basketball team presented President Brundage with a signed team ball as a thank-you for implementing the new sports program at ABAC. The Christian Community College Knights won the tipoff; however, The Stallons quickly gained possession of the ball and scored their first points of the game. The Stallions set a fast pace for the duration of the game, forcing the Knights to try and keep up with them.
Tommie Hall is a fast-paced player who uses his speed to get open on the court and bypass defenders. Hall and his teammate, Xavier Boyd, had a dynamic duo moment in which Boyd scored a thrilling layup, passing several defenders. Boyd made several 3s during the game, adding valuable points to the board.
When asked how he was feeling before the game, Hall said, “[I’m] anxious to show the new community what we built this year.” He also stated that he is looking forward to “just getting more involved and building connections. Bring some basketball spirit back to ABAC.”
The Stallions won their second game 83-63. Each team member played aggressively the entire game, despite their 20-point lead. “I’m pleased with the end result, but we still have to fix fundamental mistakes,” said Coach Sinkfield. When asked what he was most looking forward to this season, he said, “Getting 1% better each day. Applying teaching(s) each day because I can’t coach effort.”
The next home game for The Stallions will be on November 9 at 4 p.m. where they will play against Beacon College. The Fillies will play on November 8 at 5:30 p.m. against LaGrange College. To keep up with ABAC’s Basketball teams follow their respective Instagrams at @abac_basketball and @abac_wbb.