ROBBINSVILLE — When Aaliyah Smith moved over from the old Trenton Catholic Preparatory Academy (now Thrive Charter) to Trenton High ahead of the 2024-25 school year, she brought with her an exuberance that was sure to aid the Tornadoes. It doesn’t hurt that the 5-foot-2 senior guard is also a good defender who can score. That fits right into second-year head coach Aja Carter’s equation. Smith’s help off the bench was evident Friday when Trenton visited Robbinsville in Colonial Valley Conference Colonial Division action. Smith scored nine of her team-high 13 points in the third quarter as the Tornadoes rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to tie the game heading into the final stanza. Then Smith and Co. did just enough over the final eight minutes to grab a 38-37 win. “We had to come out with more energy in the second half,” Smith said, reflecting on the Ravens’ 25-15 halftime lead. “In the second half, we played better defense and we talked more.” Still trailing, 27-17, with two minutes left in the third quarter, Trenton put together an impressive 9-0 burst, ignited by a 3-point field goal from Smith with 1:55 to go. Five-foot sophomore guard Lemia Brown-Johnson (10 points), who also hit a 3-pointer during that rally, came back to get another trey to drop with seven seconds left to tie the game at 31 heading into the final quarter. “That’s what turned us,” Smith said of the third quarter. “When we play good defense, it turns into offense.” The turn of events made for a scintillating fourth quarter in which the lead changed hands five times until the Tornadoes’ other Smith, 5-5 senior guard/forward Gabriella (eight points), scored off glass with 18 seconds remaining to put the visitors up by the final margin. A lot happened before the game reached that point as R’ville third-year head coach Justin Schmid designed a dandy play that got the game’s leading scorer, 5-7 junior guard/forward Ava Aldarelli (20 points), open for what looked to be a breakaway layup. But Aaliyah Smith hustled back to steal the ball at the last second. When Smith stepped out of bounds on the same play, the Ravens got the ball back once more. This time, they inbounded and got the ball to Aldarelli, who pulled up for a 3-point shot, which missed its mark. “Their hustling was the difference in the second half,” said Robbinsville 5-4 senior guard Gabby Bottoni, whose nine points helped the home side get out to a 14-7 lead after one quarter. “They wanted the ball more than us in the second half, and yet we still were a point away from winning. It’s frustrating.” TRENTON (38) GSmith 2-4-8, Glanton 2-0-4, Harrison 0-0-0, ASmith 4-4-13, Pacheco 1-1-3, Brown-Johnson 4-0-10, Presha 0-0-0, Herbert-Wheeler 0-0-0. Totals — 13-9-38. ROBBINSVILLE (37) GBottoni 3-2-9, Aldarelli 7-6-20, Pierini 2-0-4, Klinger 0-0-0, Godwin 0-0-0, Griffin 2-0-4. Totals — 14-8-37. Trenton (4-3)                           7      8    16    7    —    38 Robbinsville(4-2)                   14    11      6    6    —    37 3-point goals — ASmith, Brown-Johnson 2 (T), GBottoni (R).