NTL GIRLS BASKETBALL: TOWANDA PULLS AWAY FROM NEB FOR SHOWCASE WIN (February 13, 2026)

Northern Tier Sports Report
ROME — Towanda avenged a loss from earlier in the year as they pulled away from NEB, 69-44, during the opening round of the NTL Showcase girls’ basketball tournament.

It was NEB leading 16-15 after one but Towanda took a 31-23 lead at the half.

They extended the lead in the third, out scoring NEB 21-13, then held the Panthers to eight points in the fourth for the win.

“I’m super proud of my kids,” Towanda coach Rob Gentile said. “I have a ton of respect, my kids have a ton of respect for that team, that coach, and their players, and I think the last time we played them, me, as a coach, took away from them what they’re really, really good at, because I think I showed a little too much respect. We didn’t get out and pressure - Leah Beebe is one of the toughest small players that I’ve honestly ever coached against, she’s super confident, she sees the floor, a great scorer - but tonight we just decided before we came here that we’re just going to be ourselves, and if they beat us at our own game, then they beat us, but I was really proud of our effort for four quarters. We just kept kept going.”

They held Beebe scoreless as her and teammate Mallorie Maynard were in foul trouble all game, eventually fouling out.

“We decided a few weeks ago we’re just going to be ourselves, and if it’s not good enough it’s not,” said Gentile. “My kids, they have so much fun playing that style of defense. It’s not easy, it’s really, really hard, but that’s why we play 9-10 kids every single night.”

Payton Perry led Towanda with 29 points, including five 3-balls.

“I always have a slow start to my season, and I’m really happy when my other teammates score, but I’ve been scoring a little bit more recently, and it just feels really great,” she said. “It just feels good to win, and know that we are the team that we need to be right now.”

Brynn Woodruff finished with 14 points, as Mya Maynard netted nine. Reese Sullivan scored eight, with Maris Cobb, and Kennedy Heyer adding four points each, while Taylor Aquilio finished with one.

Maynard and Kara Dughi had 17 points each to lead the Panthers, with Izzy Kapr, and Sydney Howland both adding four points. 

Aurelia Kolesar chipped in with two points, and four boards, as Beebe had three assists, four rebounds, and two steals. Katrina Russell notched five boards, four assists, and three steals.

Dughi went off for 11 points to pace NEB in the opening quarter, while Perry hit two 3-balls for Towanda.

Perry stayed hot in the second, scoring 10 of Towanda’s 16 points, while Mallorie Maynard had all of NEB’s seven points.

Perry added nine more points in the third, while Sullivan chipped in with six points. Dughi hit two 3-balls to pace NEB as Towanda led 52-36 going into the fourth quarter.

In the final frame Towanda went 10-for-12 from the charity stripe to secure the win.

The Knights will now face Troy at 6:30 p.m. at Mansfield University on Saturday.

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PHOTOS BY TINA MAYNARD

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