By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

RESERVE — Trenese and Trenell Smith knew their Loyola Wolfpack wouldn’t be the favorites when facing Point Loma Nazarene of California in the second round of the 2008 NAIA National Tournament. Not by a long shot.

The Sea Lions were on a 23-game winning streak. Loyola was seen by many as a school that was “just happy to be there”, a newcomer to post-opening round action.

And Point Loma was bigger, sporting a lineup of women 6-feet and taller. Physically, the Wolfpack couldn’t match up.

But the twin sisters cared not.

“The bigger they are, the harder they fall,” said Trenell with a smile.

The twins led Loyola to the upset, 71-64, to take a program that hadn’t seen much success in women’s basketball into uncharted territory — the NAIA Elite Eight, the first time the school had reached that plateau.

But while unprecedented for Loyola, it was a familiar job well done for the LaPlace natives. While prepping at Reserve Christian, the duo helped lift the Eagle program to the girls Top 28 tournament — the program had never scored a postseason victory prior to their arrival. For the twins, this was just a sequel.

“They had a similar impact for the girls program that Tweety Carter had for the boys,” said Riverside athletic director Timmy Byrd, who held the same position with Reserve Christian during the Smiths’ run with the school. “They took the program to a place it had never been.”

Now, they look to create a trilogy. Riverside backers sure hope that they can.

UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITY

Trenese and Trenell had just been officially hired on at Riverside as assistants to girls basketball coach Mary Ann Marino (who herself had recently been hired to succeed retired girls coach Chuck Dorvin) when they showed up to school for a personnel meeting last Thursday. They expected to learn more about their new duties.

What they learned wasn’t at all what they expected.

Marino had resigned only a day earlier to return to her post at Bonnabel, where she coached the previous season.

And Trenese was tabbed as the team’s new head coach.

“I think I just gave them a blank stare at first,” Trenese said with a laugh.

This is the first prep-coaching job for each, though the Smiths have coached AAU basketball.

But the twins have plenty of ammunition to build credibility with their new players. Trenese finished her career at Loyola as the school’s all-time leading scorer and its single season scoring record holder. She’s a three-time Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year, and a two-time Allstate Sugar Bowl Outstanding Female Amateur athlete.

Meanwhile, Trenell finished her Loyola career as the school’s fourth all-time scoring leader, a mark she almost certainly would have improved upon if not for a season ending knee injury after three games. She trails only her sister in the school’s single season scoring annals and was twice named All-Conference.

“They’ve got the energy to build a really special program,” said Byrd. “They’re professional people who have been successful at every level.”

FROM THE GROUND UP

They’ve also won plenty of games.

But their status as winners may not be as important to their new pupils as how they’ve won — winning with teams in RCS and Loyola that weren’t established as powers before their arrival.

The victory over Point Loma was the high point of the twins’ ultra-successful run at Loyola.

“I get chills talking about that team,” said Trenell. “We all played with so much heart. We wouldn’t let anyone take it from us.”

Said Trenese: “We were just in the zone. After we won the first game, it was a breakthrough. We just said, ‘Why not another?’”

According to each, that victory was all about chemistry and self-belief. Trenese said that the lessons learned from that victory will be passed on to her team.

“It just lets you know, even though a team may be bigger and taller than you, there are ways for you to win,” she said. “We know that from experience.

“Height can intimidate. But if you know who you are and believe in your team, you can beat anybody.”

DEVASTATING BLOW

They can also impart what they’ve learned from dealing with adversity.

During Reserve Christian’s state semifinal game at the Top 28, the unthinkable happened — Trenese’s knee buckled, her anterior cruciate ligament torn. A potential state championship season was lost, and her future was in question — it was the second serious knee injury she had suffered while at RCS.

But then-Loyola coach DoBee Plaisance (who the twins had played under in AAU basketball) did not balk at Trenese’s knee trouble. The Wolfpack reaped the benefits of her faith.

“I think they had the kind of careers at Loyola that took a lot of people off guard. But not us,” said Byrd.

But last season, it was her sister’s turn. Trenell slipped during a game between Loyola and Lambuth College, and the fall resulted in a torn ACL of her own.

For the first time at Loyola — and one of the few times in her life — Trenese would be without her sister on the court.

It wasn’t the way either envisioned ending their collegiate careers.

“Honestly, it wasn’t about the physical part of it. It was getting over it mentally that was so difficult,” said Trenell.

Said Trenese: “It was definitely different without her. It’s something I wish I hadn’t gone through.”

In each case, the girls pushed through. That determination is what they’ll demand from their Lady Rebel players.

“This team will never say, ‘I can’t do it,’” said Trenell. “If you want to make me mad, then give up. To me, that’s the worst thing in life. Try. You might surprise yourself.”

She also stressed reaping rewards of that effort.

“We want the girls to have fun,” said Trenell. “You can’t be dead serious all the time. You’ve got to enjoy playing, because if you’re not having fun, you won’t be doing well.”

TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE

While their playing careers have come to a close, their tag-team has done no such thing. Only now, they’ll walk the sideline in lieu of running the court.

At Riverside, they hope to have the same effect on this program as they have in their previous stops.

“We each have our different areas of expertise,” said Trenell. “She’s a forward, I’m a guard. We can each help in different areas.”

“Two’s better than one,” said Trenese.

That’s certainly been the case for Reserve Christian. Loyola too.

Riverside?

“We want to get to the Top 28,” said Trenese. “We want Riverside to be the talk of the town.”