SMC Women’s Basketball Shows Grit in Season-Opening Win Over Thomas

Tifton, GA – The Spartanburg Methodist College women's basketball team opened its 2025-26 season with a 67-63 win over Thomas University on Friday as part of the ABAC Tip-Off Classic.

The Pioneers (1-0), under second-year head coach Reid Walling, were led by a pair of 17-point performances from newcomer Halle Traylor and junior Destiny Middleton. Traylor tallied 10 of her 17 points from the free-throw line, while Middleton connected on three 3-pointers in her 17-point effort. They were joined in double figures by another newcomer, Kamya Hatten, who scored 15 points in her SMC debut.

The Nighthawks (0-1) were led by LaTarius Montgomery, who posted a game-high 22 points and 11 rebounds. Aaliyah Ringold and Kennedy Collins each added nine points in the loss.

SMC opened the game on an 8-3 run before six straight points from Thomas gave the Nighthawks a brief 9-8 lead. Najah Gilliam responded with a layup to put the Pioneers back in front—a lead they would hold for much of the contest.

Ringold's 3-pointer with 9:00 remaining gave Thomas a 44-42 advantage, prompting a 30-second timeout from Walling. The Nighthawks extended their lead to as much as eight, 57-49, after a Collins 3-pointer with 5:05 left to play.

The Pioneers answered with a 9-2 run to reclaim the lead, 60-59, after Middleton sank a pair of free throws with 1:55 to play. Thomas briefly regained the advantage, but Middleton responded again—this time with a clutch 3-pointer with 38 seconds left to put SMC ahead for good. The Pioneers sealed the win by making five of their final six free throws.

"I'm really proud of how our team responded when things got tough," said SMC head coach Reid Walling. "We showed a lot of composure down the stretch and trusted each other to make plays when it mattered. For a first game with several new faces, the effort, energy, and togetherness were exactly what we want to build on moving forward."

Next, Spartanburg Methodist will host Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College on Saturday at 2 p.m.