LAPLACE — When Trenese Smith was inducted into the Loyola University Athletics Hall of Fame in January, no one was prouder than her twin sister, Trenell.

She was right by her side the whole time, even video-taping the events through her happy tears.

It was a momentous occasion for the girls from LaPlace who, years ago, were two of the best female basketball players the River Parishes have ever produced.

Trenese and Trenell were  standouts at the now-defunct Reserve Christian School who went on to stellar careers at Loyola University in New Orleans.

There was just one thing missing from last year’s induction, however  — Trenell.

Trenese went into the Hall of Fame alone, without her twin sister by her side.

Of course there was never any question Trenell would get her turn sooner or later.

It turns out to be sooner.

Trenell Smith Ambrose will join her younger sister (by about a minute) in the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2017.

Trenese will, of course, be by her sister’s side.

Actually, both women will be honored next month as the entire 2007-08 women’s team is being inducted as well.

Trenell said she is thrilled with her selection, even if it did come a year later than her sister’s.

“There was a little bit of sadness that I wasn’t there with her last year,” Trenell said. “It’s just that we always did everything together, side by side. We are sort of joined at the hips, you know.”

Regardless of when it came, Trenell said it still is a huge honor.

“It means a lot,” she said. “You put your all into something like that and, just the fact that you get rewarded for all the hard work you did, it means a lot.

“It really is a lot of work — the two-a-days, the time in the weight room, the trips on the road and then you have to keep up with all of your classes because you’re there on scholarship. It’s nice to be recognized for all that.”

Trenese said she missed having her sister with her last year.

“I think I was more upset than she was,” Trenese said. “I knew she would get in eventually, but we’ve done everything together so we would have liked to go in (to the Hall) together.”

The road to the Hall of Fame began in 2003 when the two burst on the high school basketball scene at the tiny Class C school in Reserve, leading the Eagles to two Sweet 16 appearances.

While both were among the state’s best female players, each lost playing time to severe knee injuries.

Trenese tore her ACL in high school, which allowed Trenell to truly stand out.

She scored more than 3,000 points as a high school player and was the Small Schools Player of the Year three years in a row.

She once scored 47 of her team’s 84 points in a 2004 victory over Mt. Hernon.

At Loyola, however, Trenese stepped out of the shadows and was the Gulf Coach Athletic Conference’s Player of the Year in three consecutive years, a three-time All-Louisiana selection, a NAIA All-American four times and a Women’s Basketball Coaches Association All-American as a senior.

She graduated in 2010 as the Wolfpack’s all-time leading scorer, male or female, with 2,439 points.

Trenell, meanwhile, blew out her knee her senior year.

“I was devastated,” she said. “I actually still have a year of eligibility because I took a medical red-shirt.”

Now 29, the sisters are still practically joined at the hip. Both are working on Master’s degrees in Human Resources management.

They gave coaching a try, spending the 2011 season as the co-coaches of the Riverside Academy girls team.

Trenell now works at Hert. They, along with another sister, run a basketball youth training program called Triple Threat, LLC.

Trenell also was the first to change her name when she married longtime love, John Ambrose last month. Together since high school, they have two children, John Jr., 5, and Juan, 1.

While Trenell said she is thrilled to be joining her sister among Loyola’s greats in the Hall of Fame, there still will be someone missing next month.

Her beloved grandmother, Oralee Ellis, passed away in March.

“She was there at Trenese’s induction,” Trenell said.

“She came to all of our games, even the ones out of town. She was just always there for me. That’s one reason I wished I was inducted last year.”