NTL GIRLS' BASKETBALL: DUGHI'S LATE JUMPER PROPELLS NEB PAST TOWANDA (January 27, 2026)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
TOWANDA — For the second game in a row it looked like Towanda was going to squeak out a narrow win. The Knights led by four halfway through the fourth, but NEB turned the tables, going on an 11-5 spurt in the final 3:51 to pull out the 47-45 victory in NTL girls’ hoops action Tuesday.



“It feels amazing,” NEB’s Mallorie Maynard said about the win. “It feels like a good accomplishment, especially after last year losing to them in season.”

Maynard had eight points, and a team high 15 rebounds, to go with three assists, four blocks, and four steals.

“I was just boxing out, and making sure you know where the ball is at all times,” Maynard said about her night on the boards. 

Leah Beebe led all scorers with 17 points, to go with five steals, and three assists, as Dughi stepped up in the second half, scoring 11 of her 13 in the final 16 minutes to go with six rebounds.

Aurelia Kolesar had eight points, six rebounds, and three steals, as Katrina Russell notched three points, nine boards, and two steals.

On the other side Towanda felt like they didn’t take advantage of the things they could have, and didn’t play at the level NEB played at for much of the game.

“They made the plays they needed to make, and we did not,” said Towanda coach Rob Gentile. “We had three shots at the end to tie it up. I think we got beat by a team that wanted to win more. I thought that they were the tougher team tonight, tougher teams usually win. We’re too late in the season for me having to prove points to my players and bench kids for lack of effort. We put ourselves in that position, and they deserved to win.”

They missed open shots to start the fourth, got NEB into foul trouble but didn’t knock any of their starters out of the game - Maynard, Kolesar, and Beebe all finished with four fouls - and struggled fro the free throw line, shooting 10-for-23 overall.

“Its disappointing because I don’t think we play to the competitive level that we have to play to be successful,” said Gentile. “Its too many shots, kids trying to do stuff they can’t do, forcing things. Honestly, early, I thought we executed our offense pretty well. We got some shots early that just didn’t go down. We were 2-for-11 in the first half from the foul line, and we had a chance to be up by double digits. You can’t give away opportunities against a really good team. They probably have one of the top guards in the league, she played fantastic.”

Brynn Woodruff had 16 points, nine boards, and two steals for Towanda as Payton Perry netted 10 points, and nabbed two steals.

Mya Maynard had four points, 14 rebonds, and four steals, while Karis Flynn had five points, and three steals.

Mary-Kate Eberlin, and Kennedy Heyer both notched three points, as Maris Cobb, and Reese Sullivan both scored two.

All the scoring was from long range early, with the two teams combining for four 3-pointers with the Knights taking a 9-3 lead.

NEB would go on a 4-0 run to cut it to 9-7, but a Woodruff lay-up late gave the Knights an 11-7 lead at the break.

Towanda used a 7-2 run to start the second to go up 18-9, but a 5-0 spurt from NEB cut it to 18-14.

A Flynn 3-ball put the Knights up 21-14, but Beebe came back with a jumper to make it 21-16.

“My message to the kids was keep playing the way you’re playing,” Coach Beebe said. “The shots have to go. That’s the only thing I thought we did poorly at.”

Down the stretch Towanda went to the free throw line twice, but only came away with one point for the 22-16 lead at the half.

Woodruff hit a pair of freebies to start the third as Towanda extended their lead to eight points, but a 6-0 run from NEB cut it to 24-22 as they got buckets from 
Maynard, Dughi, and Kolesar.

After a Sullivan free throw Beebe hit a 3-ball to knot the game up at 25-all.

It was back and forth after that.

Woodruff hit a lay-up, followed by Dughi, and Maynard getting baskets.

An Eberlin runner made it 29-29, but Dughi came back with a put back.

A Towanda bucket tied things back up at 31.

Kolesar would go 1-for-2 from the line two trips in a row for a 33-31 lead.

Woodruff would score a lay-up, followed by the two teams trading free throws.

Another Woodruff lay-up made it 36-34, but a pair of freebies to end the quarter from Beebe left them tied.

After three minutes of misses to start the fourth Perry hit a 3-pointer to put the Knights up 39-36, then Woodruff went 1-for-2 from the line the next time down.

A Panther steal would lead to Dughi getting fouled, cutting it to 40-37 with 3:51 left to play.

On NEB’s next possession Beebe found Dughi for a bucket to make it 40-39.

Woodruff extended the lead back to three with a lay-up, but a Russell put back at he other end made it a 1-point game again with 2:35 to play.

After the two teams traded possessions Eberlin got the foul line, and went 1-for-2 for a 43-41 lead with 1:53 to play.

The two teams would trade misses, followed by Maynard tying things up with a driving lay-up.

At the other end she took a charge, then scored the go ahead bucket with 45 seconds to play, putting the Panthers up 45-43.

Perry would get fouled, and made both for the Knights to make it a 45-45 game.

At the other end an open Dughi nailed a long jumper - her toe was on the 3-point line - to put the Panthers up 47-45 with 22 seconds left.

“They kept their composure,” Beebe said about his team down the stretch. “That’s one of the things we’ve been trying to preach.”

Towanda would get three looks at a tying shot but couldn’t get it drop.

NEB did a good job in the half court of find the open playing down low as they passed ahead of Towanda’s defensive rotations.

“The passing, the ball movement today was outstanding,” Coach Beebe said. “I was very pleased with that.”

Towanda won the JV game 62-18 behind 15 points from both Sullivan, and Taylor Aquilio. Sydney Howland led NEB with seven.

Towanda (13-4) travels to Athens on Thursday, while NEB (13-2) takes their 12 game win streak to NP-Liberty on Thursday.

“I told them it was a great win here tonight, but Thursday is just as important,” said Beebe. “Just one day at a time.”

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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING

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