BY CHRIS MANNINGNorthern Tier Sports Report
MILTON — Defensively Troy played well enough to beat Trinity, but their offense went cold in the second half as they fell, 48-34, during the PIAA, Class AAA Girls’ Basketball Sweet 16 Tuesday.
“I think we held them to enough points that we could have won the game,” said Troy coach Steve Renzi. “I think we’re pretty evenly matched, I think they just made more shots than us.”
It was closer than the final score indicated with it a seven point game with two minutes to go when the Trojans started fouling to try and extend it.
Trinity went 7-for-8 down the stretch of the contest to make it a double digit win.
It was back and forth much of the first half with the Trojans holding severe leads with Trinity taking a 26-23 lead at the half.
They never relinquished it in the second half, though Troy cut it to 29-28 halfway through the third quarter.
From that point on the Shamrocks out scored the Trojans 19-6, holding Troy to without a field goal in the fourth quarter.
“I can’t be prouder of the group we have,” Renzi said about his team. “They’re young, they work their butts off. They’re a wreck in there, they actually really, really care. It’s nice to see young kids now that really care about something - give it all their heart.”
Kyah Renzo had 11 points to lead Troy, with Izzy Renzi scoring seven points.
Haidyn Watson netted six, with Giana Renzi, and Raelyn Woodward adding four points each. Emma Mickley chipped in with two points.
Ashley Berkheimer had 14 points to lead Trinity with Emma Kostelac-lauer notched 13.
Berkheimer opened the scoring with a 3-ball, but a Renzo driving lay-up followed by a Woodward put back put the Trojans up 4-3 two minutes into the contest.
A Kensie Fox jumper made it 5-4 Shamrocks, followed by a Kostelac-lauer 3-pointer to make it 8-4 Trinity with 3:25 left in the quarter.
Izzy Renzo had back to back buckets - the second a 3-pointer - to put Troy back on top 9-8.
Watson then had a put back with 2:20 left in the quarter to push the Trojan lead to 11-8.
Back to back 3-balls from Berkheimer and Kostelac-lauer put the Shamrocks back up, then they got a late basket from Kendal Ferrario for a 16-11 at the first horn.
The Trojans dug in during the second quarter, holding Trinity scoreless for four and a half minutes.
During that time they mounted a comeback, beginning with a Giana Renzi runner. Woodward then hit a jumper off a Renzo assist, followed by a Renzo 3-ball for an 18-16 lead halfway through the quarter.
A pair of Trinity free throws tied things up, but not for long, as Mickley scored off a Giana Renzi helper for a 20-18 Troy lead.
Kostelac-laur hit a lay-up to re-tie the contest, followed by a Renzo free throw to keep Troy up 21-20.
Trinity then went on a 5-0 run to take a 25-21 lead with a minute to go.
A pair of freebies from Watson cut it to 25-23, with a free throw from Aryana McCleary gave the Shamrocks the 3-point lead at the break.
They got another free throw coming out of the half, with a Renzo lay-up making it 27-25.
The back and fourth continued as McCleary scored on a lay-up, but Renzo came back with a 3-ball to cut the deficit to one.
Trinity scored the next five points to take a 34-28 lead, but a Renzo put back in the final minute of the third cut it to 34-30 with one quarter to go.
Izzy Renzo opened the fourth with a steal and was fouled, making both at the line for a 34-32 contest 19 seconds in.
Trinity would score the next three points for a 37-32 lead when a pair of Watson freebies made it a one score game again with 5:46 left to play.
Unfortunately for Troy, that’s the last time they scored, as in the final four minutes their possessions either ended in turnovers or missed shots.
“We each had a little bit of runs there,” Renzi said about the game. “They had a little short lead. We came out in the second half, and it was kind of we take their punch, they score a couple baskets. We had a couple turnovers going down the stretch, and missed some threes. I think we got sped up a little bit in the fourth quarter because we were down. We haven’t been down much this year, but it’s a phenomenal group of young ladies, and we’re all going to be very successful.”
With everybody coming back next season this postseason run that saw Troy go 3-2 and make it to the second round of states will certainly set the bar high going into the 2026-2027 season.
“They’re feeling the pain right now,” remarked Renzi. “They’re going to go home. They know that when they lay their head down that they gave everything they got. They’re going to watch film tomorrow, and go back to work in about a week.”
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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING
