Girls Basketball: Tournament of Champions Seedings
Both Manchester and St. Rose will be in action Tuesday night when the Tournament of Champions tips off at RWJBarnabas Health Arena in Toms River with the quarterfinal round.
Manchester (31-2), fresh off its 65-48 victory over Lincoln for the program's first Group 2 state title as well as its 23rd consecutive win, was tabbed as the third seed while St. Rose (27-2), which collected its second straight Non-Public A championship, was named the fourth seed.
St. Rose will take on fifth-seeded University (25-5), which won its second consecutive Group 1 championship, at 5:30, followed by Manchester tackling sixth-seeded Mainland (28-3), the Group 3 winner.
The winner of Mainland-Manchester will play second-seeded Saddle River Day (27-2), which on its second straight Non-Public B crown, in the semifinals on Thursday back at the RWJBarnabas Health Arena at 5:30. Whoever emerges from the University-St. Rose contests draws top-seeded and unbeaten Franklin (31-0), which cruised to its third consecutive Group 4 title, in the nightcap of the doubleheader.
This marks 30th year in a row in the 31-year history of the TOC that the Shore Conference has at least one team vying for the ultimate prize and the sixth straight year (19th time overall) that two representatives from the conference are amongst the field.
TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
Tuesday, March 12
Quarterfinal Round
At RWJBarnabas Health Arena, Toms River
5-University (25-5) vs. 4-St. Rose (27-2), 5:30
6-Mainland (28-3) vs. 3-Manchester (31-2), 7
Thursday, March 14
At RWJBarnabas Health Arena, Toms River
Mainland-Manchester winner vs. 2-Saddle River Day (27-2), 5:30
University-St. Rose winner vs. 1-Franklin (31-0), 7
Sunday, March 17
Championship
At Rutgers University
2 pm