TIFTON — Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s Fillies are coming a long way in a hurry on the basketball court. Saturday saw them blast visiting Paine College, 89-62, and the way they won showed their progress to head coach Chuck Wimberly.

Wimberly said his lineup is figuring out more and more each came what they can and cannot do. Depth is picking up with more “interchangeable pieces.” Wimberly pointed out that they still have only spent a few months together.

“I’m really proud of them,” he said. Counting the scrimmage against East Georgia State, ABAC is 5-5.

As thrilled as Wimberly was by the result, he is still trying to figure out a way for the Fillies to be hot out of the gate. The initial 10 minutes Saturday featured only five ABAC field goals. It took nearly three minutes for Malaja Dyous to make their first, and nearly four more for their second, by Brianna Wimberly at 3:18.

Kasey Smikes’ basket with six seconds left had the Fillies down 20-15 at the end of the quarter.

Paine was sharp in contrast, with three-pointers from Adia Dormu, Lela Brown and Carlysha Golatt in the same span. Golatt had four points to start the second and the Lady Lions were ahead by nine, 24-15, at 8:04.

Then there was a change. Wimberly said ABAC went to a 1-3-1 defense. “It made the difference in ballgame,” he said.

 

With the added pressure at halfcourt, the Fillies staged a rally. Four minutes after trailing by nine, a steal and layup by Shakiria Chaney tied the score 26-all.

Golatt, who scored 10 of Paine’s 14 second frame points, briefly kept them afloat with free throws. Brianna Wimberly responded with back-to-back treys for a 32-28 lead. A flustered Paine had a three-second violation a minute later and Camiva Sparks made them pay for the turnover with a three-ball from the corner.

Chaney’s free throws swung the lead to nine for ABAC at 39-30 at 1:02, though Golatt made it a manageable 40-34 with a jumper at the end of the half.

Paine scored the first four of the third period, then the Fillies were off to the races again.

Chaney scored four in a 6-0 run. Dueling threes by Dailey Jefferson and Paine’s Golatt and Brown temporarily kept it a six-point game before ABAC finished on a 12-1 streak. Chaney scored six in that spree.

Up 62-45 going into the fourth, ABAC did not humor any Paine comeback attempts. Brown began with a three for the Lady Lions, then the hosts responded with 11, six by Wimberly.

Smikes pushed the score to 82-57 with a three at 1:34. She had 11 in the fourth frame alone. The lead peaked at 29 with 17 seconds left off free throws by Emily Gamon.

Chaney, reigning Southern States Athletic Conference Player of the Week, led ABAC again in points, this time with 23. Four players total were in double-digits, with Wimberly at 14 and Reese Riddle and Smikes with 13 each.  Dyous pulled down nine rebounds to lead in that category.

Paine got 17 points each from Brown and Golatt. Da’Mar Wimbs scored 12 and Dormu netted 11.

Coach Wimberly’s 1-3-1 worked a treat. Paine had 36 turnovers for the game, compared to ABAC’s 18. The Fillies stole the ball 18 times to Paine’s six.

ABAC’s next game is Dec. 3 at Paine. They return home Dec. 7 for a noon tipoff against the College of Coastal Georgia.