NTL GIRLS' BASKETBALL: TROY HAS HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR 2024-2025 SEASON (2024-11-30)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
The Troy girls’ basketball team has a high of expectations as anybody this season. They return four of five starters from last year’s team that won a league title, and reached the final four in the District IV playoffs, while also adding plenty of young talent in their ninth grade class.

“We’re excited,” said coach Curtis Miller. “We got a great, great group of girls. We have six seniors, we have a bunch of sophomores that are stepping up, and then we have a good freshman class coming in too, so we’re just excited and ready to go.”

They return three key guards in Kailyn Sterling, Alyssa Parks, and Giana Renzi.

“We can only just build off it,” Sterling said about last year. “We’ve got to take it one practice at a time, one game at a time, as Miller says. We’ve got to have the best practice of the year every day, so we’ve just got to build off that.”

Sterling averaged 13.7 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.1 BPG, and 3.0 SPG, Parks had averages of 11.2 PPG. 6.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, and 2.1 SPG, and sophomore Renzi notched 8.9 PPG, 2.8 APG, and 3.1 SPG.

“It just helps the team become one with everyone knowing everyone,” Parks said about the returnees. “Working as a team is a big one, and moving the ball very quickly.”

The two seniors are players Miller has been with since they freshmen, and they’ve been three year starters, and four year varsity players.

“They’re our captains, they’re our leaders,” Miller remarked. “I’m really looking to them to step up and put these underclassmen under their wings.”

They return shooters Gloria Andrews and Ella VanNoy, along with forwards Madelyn Seeley and Kendall Allen.

“I think that we’re just coming in with a lot of experience,” said Miller. “The girls faced a lot of adversity last year, and they also accomplished a lot, so coming in with expectations, I think is really going to push us forward this year.”

Replacing outgoing center Katie Lackey will be the first order of business this year.

“I think Kendall Allen and Maddie Seeley are both going to have to step up and have some big minutes for us this year,” Miller said. “We’re also looking at some of our smaller girls, like freshman Kyah Renzo, she’s going to come in and be physical.”

Renzo and Raelyn Woodward are two freshmen that may see some varsity court time this season.

“They’re all very strong so it’s just building the program,” said Parks. 

They expect those two not to just help out on offense, but also on defense, which is their calling card.

“It’s just so much fun to watch Giana and Alyssa at the same time because they’re both so good with the ball in their hands, but we’re what we need from them is great defense, because when we get great defense from them, that turns into transition offense,” Miller said. “That’s where we’re really effective.”

Looking ahead they’ll have a bullseye coming in as the league undefeated from a year ago, but also due to their success in the postseason with a win over Warrior Run, and close losses to district champions Hughesville, and Bloomsburg.

“I would say we have the same goals, but we’re just taking it one day at a time,” Miller said. “We’re definitely going to try and build upon what we accomplished last year.”

The players know just how close they were last year from a banner raising season to a historic one.

“We can always compete,” Sterling said. “We’ve just got to execute and do it.”

ROSTER

Kailyn Sterling

Alyssa Parks

Gloria Andrews

Ella VanNoy

Madelyn Seeley

Kendall Allen

Giana Renzi

Haylie Davies-Grove

Ellie Spalding

Ava Bar-Illan

Rachel Hinckle

Riley Tillinghast

Emma Mickley

Kyah Renzo

Raelyn Woodward

Haidyn Watson

Camdyn Rogers

Emilee Purcell

Adrianna Fitzpatrick

SCHEDULE

Dec. 7 vs Central Columbia, 1:30 p.m.

Dec. 13 vs CV, 7 p.m.

Dec. 18 at Canton, 7 p.m.

Dec. 20 vs NEB, 7 p.m.

Dec. 21 vs Milton, 3 p.m.

Dec. 27 at Josh Palmer Tournament

Dec. 29 at Josh Palmer Tournament

Dec. 30 at Josh Palmer Tournament

Jan. 3 at Wyalusing, 7 p.m.

Jan. 8 vs Towanda, 7 p.m.

Jan. 10 at Athens, 7 p.m.

Jan. 15 vs Wellsboro, 7 p.m.

Jan. 17 vs NPM, 7 p.m.

Jan. 21 vs Sayre, 7 p.m.

Jan. 23 at Williamson, 7 p.m.

Jan. 28 at NPL, 7 p.m.

Jan. 30 vs Wyalusing, 7 p.m.

Feb. 1 at NPM, 7 p.m.

Feb. 4 at Towanda, 7 p.m.

Feb. 6 vs Athens, 7 p.m.

Feb. 8 vs Jersey Shore, 1:30 p.m.

Feb. 11 at Wellsboro, 7 p.m.

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