Scoring burst for Thomas in 2nd half tops ABAC
Published 12:50 pm Tuesday, January 7, 2025
- ABAC’s T.J. Smith’s tongue shows his extra grit while taking on two Thomas University defenders in the paint during the first half.
TIFTON — The Stallions seemed to have everything going their way. Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College had wiped out a 15-point first half deficit to tie at the break. Then Thomas University got hot again and ABAC fell, 93-72.
ABAC is 5-7 for the year now, 1-3 in Southern States Athletic Conference games. They’ll try to reverse that against Mobile Thursday evening and Saturday against Life. Both are doubleheaders with the Fillies.
The Stallions were still in there, still easily within comeback territory with 10 minutes to go in the second half. They trailed six, 62-56, on a trey by Matthew Mairena.
But then came Armani Thomas with five points in eight seconds and everything spun out of control from there. At 8:04, the Night Hawks were ahead 15 points.
ABAC kept scoring, but more sporadically, and never in spurts like Thomas University. At 4:09, Andre Lightbourne hit the second of back-to-back triples for an 86-63 score. Peyton Ivery responded with a three and the Stallions stayed on even terms the rest of the contest.
Thomas was equally streaky in the first half, but the Stallions had plenty of responses.
Mairena had the first points of the game on a jumper at 19:30.. Xavier Boyd made a three and Chris Foster hit from inside, but that trio of two-points would be the most the hosts had for the game.
The Night Hawks answered with a 9-0 run and ABAC was now playing catch-up. Boyd kept it close with a trey to close to 14-10, but the lead soon built to 10, then 15 on a shot by Deonta Jones at 11:08.
Becky Taylor/The Tifton Gazette
Nate Mobley drives the baseline for two of his eight points for ABAC against the Night Hawks.
At 5:58, the Stallions chopped it to eight, 36-28 on free throws by T.J. Smith. When Nate Mobley posted up a 2:06, it was a 40-34 game and when he posted up again at 1:00, ABAC trimmed the lead to 40-38.
Ultimately, Thomas spent 4:10 without scoring to close out the first half and when Bryce Wimberly nailed a jumper on a Mairena assist with 18 seconds to go, that meant the teams were knotted at 40 headed into the locker rooms.
Smith’s 19 points paced ABAC. Boyd netted 12 and Mairena had 11. In addition, Mairena dished out eight assists. The Stallions shot 50% from the floor, 54% on three-pointers.
Lightbourne, Jalin Lee and Armani Thomas each scored 14 in a very balanced Thomas University lineup. Ja’Vian Baker joined them with 12 points. The Night Hawks shot a blistering 61% from the floor overall and were 44% from behind the arc.
