Manasquan Sneaks By St. Rose For Tournament of Champions Title

Photo above: Manasquan girls celebrate title

MABREY SAVES HER BEST FOR LAST AS NO.1 MANASQUAN GRABS STATE TITLE

TRENTON – It was your classic Marina Mabrey on display Monday night in the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions final at the Sun National Bank Arena in Trenton.

Playing in her final game of her high school career, Mabrey did what she’s done so many times before by taking over a game that’s on the brink of defeat and almost single-handedly willing her team to victory.

The Notre Dame-bound senior scored 15 of her game-high 36 points in the fourth quarter and the final 13 points for the Warriors as No. 1 Manasquan (31-2) overcame a two-point deficit entering the final quarter to beat No. 2 St. Rose 59-55.

Her 36 points along with 12 rebounds topped off a legendary high school career which saw her score more than 2,500 career points and being selected to the McDonald’s All-American team this year as well as being named the New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year. It’s her second state title after being part of the 2012 championship team that featured her older sister Michaela, who is now a rising star on a Notre Dame team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament “Sweet 16” this weekend.

The Warriors lost in the final of last year’s Tournament of Champions to No.1 Shabazz and with the return of Mabrey this season were considered the prohibitive favorites to win it all this year.

“We kind of left last season with a little bit of a sour taste in our mouth.” Manasquan head coach Lisa Kukoda said. “Everyone had that mentality and it was kind of the driving force for us this season.”

After handing the Warriors a two-point lead with 50 seconds left in the game on a layup off a feed by Victoria Galvan, Mabrey blocked a Kat Phipps shot at the other end, grabbed the loose ball and was fouled on the way to the basket. She then iced the game converting both free throws and making it a two-possession game with 19 seconds remaining.

The game itself was an exciting seesaw battle pitting two teams very familiar with each other and with no love lost by either side.

“These games with St. Rose can be very emotional,” Mabrey said. “They can get dirty and nasty and it’s really about which team can stay mentally focused.”

Mabrey gave the Warriors a 14-12 lead on second-chance put-back with eight seconds left in the first quarter before St. Rose (32-2) took their largest lead of the game, 25-20, on two Phipps free throws with 2:14 left in the half.

A layup by Mabrey off an assist from Clark pulled the Warriors to within three before Jenn Louro’s rebound and lay-in with 19 seconds on the clock put St. Rose back up by five. Sophomore guard Stella Clark then sent the Warriors into the locker room with some needed momentum sinking a three-pointer just before the buzzer to make it 27-25 at the half.

Galvin found Mabrey in the paint to tie the score at the start of the third but freshman Elizabeth Marsicano nailed a three to put the Purple Roses up by three 30-27 at 7:17. St. Rose would not relinquish the lead in the third and led by 42-37 after a Jenn Louro drive to the basket with .32 remaining in the quarter.

Marbrey then gave the Warriors a huge lift and set the stage for her fourth quarter heroics by ending the third quarter with a step-back 3-pointer at the buzzer that cut St Rose’s lead to 42-40.

“I knew we needed something to get our momentum going,” Mabrey said. “We hadn’t had a big momentum swing the whole game. We needed a big shot. I told them we were going to finish this third quarter up, and we were going to get there. We were going to catch them and then put them away.”

Two free throws by Clark tied the game eight seconds into the fourth before senior Courtney Hagaman’s outlet pass to Mabrey after steal led to her fast-break bucket and a 44-42 lead. Marina’s sister Dara then banked one in from the paint to give the Warriors their largest lead of the game, 46-42 at 6:42.

St. Rose wasn’t finished just yet as the lead changed hands five times in the fourth quarter with St. Rose tying the game 55-55 on a Phipps 3-pointer at 1:20 after being down by four with a little over two minutes left. the Purple Roses went scoreless the rest of the way as Mabrey closed out the game.

“She was a little frustrated earlier in the game, but I looked at her late and said ‘I need you for these last three minutes,’” Kukoda said referring to her star player. “She was able to execute and finished late for us. She’s going to do that when you need her too. She just has that will deep down inside her.”

Mabrey also had three blocked shots, two steals and two assists while Clark and Galvin each added seven points with Galvan grabbing five boards and handing out four assists to lead the team. Hagaman chipped in with seven rebounds, two assists and three steals.

For St. Rose, Jess Louro led with 20 points and seven rebounds while Jenn Louro added 14 points and four rebounds. The 6-foot-0 Marsicano had a solid game finishing with 11 points and five assists.

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