Girls Basketball – Manasquan, Manchester Win Wild Sectional Finals; TRN Loses a Heartbreaker
Four Shore Conference girls basketball teams played for an NJSIAA sectional championship on Monday and another took on the No. 1 team in the state in the South Jersey Non-Public B sectional semifinals. The night included a pair of last-second shots to give the road team the win, game-winning free-throws with less than a second left, a 38-point outburst in a losing effort, and the No. 1 team in N.J. making a statement against the No. 2 team.
Let's take a tour of the Shore to recap the action.
Mabrey's Free Throws Give Manasquan Fourth Straight Title
Dara Mabrey sinks the game-winning FTs. Incredible. #RFHvsMAN pic.twitter.com/McTTu2QZpv
— Brian Deakyne (@BrianDeakyne) March 7, 2017
Junior Dara Mabrey hit both ends of a one-and-one from the free-throw line with 0.2 seconds left on the clock and the Warriors (28-2) won a heart-stopping sectional final against the rival Bulldogs (22-7), 67-66, to capture their fourth straight Central Jersey Group II crown.
Rumson rallied from an 12-point fourth-quarter deficit and took a 66-65 lead when junior Tori Hyduke converted a left-handed scoop shot in the lane with six seconds left.
After a timeout, Mabrey took the inbounds pass, dribbled down the lane and drew a bump just before time ran out. Needing to make the first to earn a chance to win the game, Mabrey buried the first foul shot to even the score and knocked down the second to clinch the game.
Mabrey finished with 10 points while senior Stella Clark scored 18 points after missing Manasquan's win over Newark Tech Thursday due to illness. Sophomore Faith Masonius also added 16 points and 12 rebounds in the win.
Hyduke nearly carried Rumson to its 15th sectional title with a career-high 38 points while senior Hannah Scanlan pitched in 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Manasquan has now eliminated Rumson each of the past four seasons in the Central Jersey Group II postseason - three times in the sectional final. The Warriors will play Manchester in the Group II semifinal Wednesday at Williamstown High School.
And Tori Hyduke's basket with 6 seconds left that put Rumson up. She finished with 38. A total star effort. pic.twitter.com/yHTrrAl7yL — Brian Deakyne (@BrianDeakyne) March 7, 2017
Dejah Adams's Three in the Final Seconds Gives Manchester SJ II Title
Senior Dejah Adams drilled the game-winning three-pointer with five seconds left and the Hawks (24-5) knocked off the top-seeded Panthers (25-4) on the road to claim the South Jersey Group II championship, 34-33.
Freshman Kemari Reynolds hit a pair of free throws in the final 30 seconds to pull Manchester within 32-31 of Middle and the Panthers answered by making one out of two free throws to inch their lead up to 33-31.
Here it is, the final possession of the G2 SJ Final between @mthspantherpack and @MtownManiacs. @CMCSports @NjShoreVideo pic.twitter.com/0bDm3U2V8x
— Matt Ulmer (@MattOCNJ) March 7, 2017
Reynolds finished with a team-high 11 points and set up the game-winner by Adams. With time winding down, the freshman dribbled left, drew the defense to her and kicked the ball back out to her senior teammate. With an open look, Adams hit the biggest shot of her high school career to cap a five-point game. Junior A'Liah Moore also scored nine points for Manchester, while senior Jenna Herlihy scored 20 of Middle's 33 points to lead all scorers. Manchester will continue its season Wednesday in the Group II semifinal against defender Group II champion Manasquan at Williamstown High School.
Therien Goes Coast-to-Coast at the Buzzer as Cherokee Beats Toms River North
Senior Isabella Therien dribbled the length of the floor and converted the game-winning layup as time expired to deliver the Chiefs (27-2) with a last-second, 37-35 win over the Mariners (27-4) to claim the South Jersey Group IV championship.
Therien led Cherokee with 16 points and pulled off the winning score after the Chiefs forced a Toms River North turnover on the other end.
Isabella Therien goes the length of the court and scores with one second left to give Cherokee the SJ4 title pic.twitter.com/BoTtq5mCLZ — Kevin Williams (@shoresportsman) March 6, 2017
Mariners senior Ashley Tutzauer stole the ball and scored the tying basket to even the score at 35 and Toms River North forced a Cherokee turnover to get the ball back with 29 seconds left before Cherokee got it back with the Mariners turnover.
Sophomore Jenna Paul led Toms River North with 16 points and Tutzauer added seven in defeat.
No. 1 Rutgers Prep Ends St. Rose's Season
Senior Gabi Redden scored 20 points and the Argonauts (28-1) led the Purple Roses (26-4) from wire-to-wire for a convincing, 54-32 win in a showdown of the top two teams in N.J., according to NJ.com.
Senior Madison Stanley also added the Rutgers Prep interior play with 10 points and 13 rebounds. The Argonauts scored 38 of their points in the paint and eight more from the free-throw line.
Senior Jen Louro led St. Rose with 10 points in her final high school game. Juniors Mikayla Markham and Elizabeth Marsicano also scored eight points apiece.
The two juniors, along with Monmouth commit Lucy Thomas, will return next year to form the nucleus of the defending Shore Conference Tournament champions. Luoro and fellow seniors Ellyn Stoll and Alex Pendergrass will depart after helping lead the Purple Roses to the program's second SCT championship in six years.
Rutgers Prep will play top-seeded Patrick School in the sectional final on Wednesday at Jackson Liberty.
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