The Mabrey Sisters Dynasty in Manasquan

Unless you follow girls high school basketball you likely have little or no idea about the recent run of success for Manasquan High School but it’s worth noting after they won their sixth state championship in seven years Sunday.

The Warriors outscored Newark Tech 95-79 to claim their fourth consecutive Group 2 title at the RWJ Barnabas Health Arena which has become like a second home court during this remarkable run fueled by one or more Mabrey Sister.

The youngest and last of that trio is Dara, who scored 35 points and ran the floor like the Energizer Bunny and along with teammates Faith Masonius, Lola Mullaney and Carly Geisler helped Manasquan secure the top seed in this week’s Girls Tournament of Champions which will be played in Toms River on Wednesday and Friday before Sunday’s title game in Trenton.

Shore Conference rival St. Rose, which won the Non-Public Group “A” title on Saturday is the second seed and both get byes into the semifinals on Friday.

The Mabrey run over these last 7 years is likely something we’ll never see again.

Michaela led Manasquan to the Tournament of Champions title in 2012 before heading to Notre Dame.  Middle sister Marina was part of that team and as a senior in 2015 took the Warriors to another TOC crown, a team that included Dara who was just a freshman.

Marina. like her older sister, then moved on to Notre Dame while Dara helped Manasquan reached the finals in each of the last two seasons where they fell just short.

Now the Virginia Tech-bound senior has one more shot to add to an amazing legacy which will likely never be matched again.

Toms River North’s great post-season run ended with a 40-point loss to defending TOC champion Franklin in the Group 4 final yesterday but it was still a pretty good weekend for the Gillen Family.

Mariners head coach Vicki Gillen got to see her son Brady hit a near half-court shot to give his Hurricanes team a triple-overtime win in the 2^nd and 3^rd grade playoffs of the Pine Beach Basketball League.  Brady’s dad and Vicki’s husband Ted is the Toms River Regional School’s District Athletic Director.