NTL GIRLS BASKETBALL: TROY USES FAST START TO DOWN WYALUSING, PUNCH TICKET TO D4 SEMIFINALS AND STATE TOURNAMENT (February 21, 2026)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
TROY — Troy was hot out of the gates, then rode their defense the final three quarters as they defeated Wyalusing, 47-33, during the District IV, Class AAA Girls Basketball quarterfinals Friday. The win punched their ticket to states.

“It feels really good because it’s my first time with my favorite players, my favorite team,” Troy’s Raelyn Woodward said about making states.

The team lost in a heartbreaker to Mt. Carmel in last year’s quarterfinals, a defeat they were able to put behind them this year.

“This is what we’ve been working for,” Troy’s Giana Renzi remarked. “I definitely had that loss underneath me from last year, and definitely wanted to get this one. I’m happy we did.”

Troy jumped out to a 19-5 first quarter lead and led by as many as 20 points in the second quarters. Wyalusing chipped away in the second half, cutting it to 11 points in the fourth, but couldn’t get any closer.

“This is the first time a long time,” Troy coach Steve Renzi said about the Lady Trojans getting to the state tournament. “We came out on fire, and then the girls need to learn time and possession, and how to run offense, and get good shots in the flow of the offense. Going into the fourth quarter we were up 20, and then we won by 14 so they’re learning.”

Troy has had a habit of starting slow in big games recently, so coach Renzi was glad to see his squad come out firing.

“We’ve been working on getting them mentally prepared to start a game,” he said. “It was really nice them going to the basket and getting some really nice shots.”

Giana Renzi had 13 points to lead Troy while Woodward, and Kyah Renzo netted 11 points each. Haidyn Watson scored seven, with Izzy Renzi netting five.

For Wyalusing Emily Johns had a game high 14 points to lead the Rams, with Jenna Morningstar scoring eight. Alysha Botts netted six, Liz Kilmer added three, and Treanna Nickeson rounded things out with two.

Troy’s press forced them into over 30 turnovers in the contest, but they settled in some during the second half. They tightened up the defense and used the offensive glass to out score Troy 22-18 over the final two quarters, though the whole was too big for them to dig out of.

“We knew coming in that their 1-3-1 press is very efficient,” Wyalusing coach Nick Reynolds said. “Renzi has done a phenomenal job coaching those kids, and they make it extremely difficult working through it. We had a lot of time to prepare, but I knew it still wasn’t going to feel like what Troy does. They had a great first quarter, and that was a lot of points to make up. As the game started flowing a little bit we were able to settle in, and our kids fought. That’s one thing I’m extremely proud of them - and they should be proud of themselves - is they fought all the way to the end.”

On Troy’s first possession Woodward hit a runner in the paint for a 2-0 lead.

“I really think Raelyn Woodward with that first shot, making that really set the tone,” Giana Renzi said. “And our defense really set the tone, as well.”

Renzo then scored off a Giana assist, followed by a Giana steal and jumper made it 6-0. Another Woodward basket saw Troy go up 8-0 three minutes into the game.

Johns got the Rams on the scoreboard with an old fashion 3-point play, but a Renzo put back followed by a Watson 3-ball saw Troy go up 10.

Morningstar would score for a 13-5 ball game, but the final 2:12 of the first quarter was all Troy as Woodward hit a free throw, Giana bagged a 3-ball, and Renzo finished things off with a pair of freebies for the 19-5 lead at the first horn.

“Usually we start out slow, so it felt really good to come out with a lot of energy,” Woodward said. “I think we just though about it pre-game more, and realized what we had to do to come out stronger.”

Giana hit her second 3-ball to start the second quarter to put Troy up 22-5.

Botts came back with a jumper, but a Giana basket followed by a Watson 3-pointer pushed the Trojan advantage to 27-7 with 2:30 left in the half.

Johns would get to the line for two freebies to make it 27-9.

In the final minute the two teams traded buckets for a 29-11 score at the half.

Johns had a basket to open the third quarter, but back to back 3-balls from Woodward and Izzy Renzi pushed Troy’s lead to its biggest of the night - 35-13.

A Johns free throw followed by a Morningstar jumper cut the deficit to 35-16, but a lay-up from Renzo followed by a Watson free throw gave Troy a 22-point lead again.

Kilmer would hit a 3-pointer to get the deficit under 20. Giana would come back with a put back, but a pair of Botts free throws made it 40-21 going into the fourth quarter.

Troy would go cold early in the fourth, in fact not scoring for nearly seven minutes from the late third to the late fourth, giving the Rams a window to get back in the game.

Nickeson kick started the Wyalusing rally with a runner, followed by a Morningstar put back to make it 40-25 with 6:10 left.

Another Morningstar jumper, followed by a pair of free throws from Johns made it an 11 point game with 3:52 on the clock.

That’s as close as they got, though, as their only points from that point out were four free throws from Johns.

The Trojans would go on a 7-4 run the rest of the way to secure the win.

“They’re all heart and effort,” Coach Renzi said about his team’s defense in the fourth quarter as they close out the win. “I’ve been saying all year, and that’s what we communicate with each other. We’re working on boxing out, physically displace people, and playing with 110-percent.”

For the Rams their season ends in the quarterfinals for the second year in a row.

“This has been a great group of kids,” Reynolds said. “We are very proud of the season that we had - a lot of great memories.”

He says good-bye to two seniors - Nickeson and Alissa Baldwin. Baldwin was injured all year so Nickeson was the lone rep on the court for this year’s class.

“Our seniors are phenomenal kids,” said Reynolds. “I’ve had them from when they were freshmen all the way up. I’ve only been here for four years, and those were the two that made it to the finish line. Treanna is an unbelievable athlete, and she is one kid that goes as hard as she can for every minute that she’s doing any sport. She helped build the program to where it is, and where it’s going to go; that kid will truly be missed, and you can’t really replace that.”

Still, he returns four of five starters as they look to make another run at an NTL title next season.

“Getting everybody outside of her back is exciting,” remarked Reynolds. “We’re still a team that’s growing, and still learning the game. We continue to get better, and I’m excited to see where next season takes these kids.”

This win will take Troy into a match-up with the defending state champions Loyalsock. The Lancers won 58-21 over Line Mountain in their quarterfinal match-up.

“It’s going to be really hard to be honest,” said Woodward. “I think that it’s definitely going to be a challenge, but I think we can handle it. And we’ll definitely keep it a good game.”

District IV hasn’t set a time, place, or date yet, but it should be early next week at a neutral court.

“You’ve got to beat the champion to be a champion,” coach Renzi said. “Like I always say, let’s see what we can do when they roll the ball out there and play some basketball.”

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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING

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