By the end of the season, everyone knew their names. But just a few months earlier, they
were an afterthought. “We might as well just forfeit the whole season,” Guard Brianna Wimberly told me after their loss to the University of Alabama. That was before they proved everyone wrong in just their second season as a four-year program, and their second season since 2008. Their first season was a disappointment, as the Fillies went 0-16 in conference play.
With a young roster, limited experience, and the program still finding its footing after sixteen years, few saw our team as a serious contender. These early losses only reinforced that belief, as the team struggled to find confidence on the court, with the only consistency being that of a losing streak. But the season didn’t flip in an instant, no single game changing everything — just small wins adding up. While the outside world doubted them, the team’s mindset began to change. Team captain Shakiria Chaney said, “From the beginning, I knew we could [make the conference tournament]. It was just about putting the pieces together in time to do it.”
The turning point came against Thomas University, where the Fillies first built momentum. It was a home game in Bainbridge, the Fillies walking away with a nine-point win over the Thomas Nighthawks. Continuing with this momentum, two more wins were picked up by the Fillies, both over Point University. As the regular season neared its end, each game mattered more. Our fillies found themselves fighting to extend their season. That perseverance earned the girls a spot in the conference tournament. The fillies were slotted as the number 10 seed, reminding those of how far they’d come.
Entering the conference tournament as the tenth seed, the Fillies were ready to make a
statement. “When we won in the 1st round, we beat Thomas. It was a very intense game. It was a game we were looking forward to. It was a game that we knew we could win, but we knew we had to fight,” Chaney recalled, capturing the team’s excitement and determination. From the very first tipoff, it was clear this would be no easy win. Both teams fought for every point, but the Fillies stayed composed, pulling out the win 70-66.
Shakiria Chaney finished with 23 points, Reese Riddle earned 13 points, and Brianna Wimberly, who had not seen double digits since December, scored 12 points, securing the upset. Moving past the first round within the tournament, ABAC was now set to go up against the number two seeds at Faulkner University. With the Fillies riding the high of their win, they took the court in the next round determined to keep their momentum. Faulkner proved to be a tough feat, and although the Fillies fought every minute, the season concluded with a loss.
Even in defeat, the fillies left the court as winners — not just on the scoreboard but in pride and effort. This journey proved one thing above all about our women’s basketball team: no one should underestimate them again