On January 4th, 2025, Mason Mangione rang in the New Year with a moment that will forever go down in school history. With a perfectly executed layup, Mangione’s thousandth point finally fell through the net, after accumulating points since his sophomore year. The gym exploded with excitement as students, parents, and young fans came together to turn the moment into an unforgettable celebration.

Mangione’s journey to this milestone began in kindergarten when his mom enrolled him in basketball clinics, and despite his initial reluctance, it sparked a love for the game that would grow over time. Mangione has continued to elevate his presence on the court by expanding his skills, and this milestone was a testament to his dedication over the years.

After starting his journey on the freshman team, Mangione was ignited with the passion to accomplish more. Going into the following year, he took the leap to becoming a dynamic varsity starter. “Since my freshman year, I became more than just a one dimensional player in the sense of each year I’ve progressed a little more, which I think has been good,” Mangione says. After primarily shooting threes as an underclassmen, Mangione can now be found all over the court as a complex player. He has the ability to beat the defense in a combination of ways, as well as hold strong on the defensive end. 

Mangione always sensed scoring a thousand points could be achievable someday, but it wasn’t until after his successful sophomore season that others began to see it too. Even with this pressure, Mangione remained focused on the team’s success as he claims, “I always just go at it with the mentality that if the team does well, my personal goals will come with it… To win, you have to put up good personal numbers, and with the mentality of winning, personal goals will follow.”

While the pivotal game approached, the built-up anticipation was hard for Mangione to ignore. Immediately after hitting the milestone, Mangione felt a sense of relief wash over him and the rest of the game felt much easier. With his performance leading the way, the Panthers came out with a tight 54-51 win against Dwight Morrow.

When speaking with his teammates, they emphasized Mangione’s coachability, and ability to carry his team to victory when necessary. With his skyrocketing confidence since freshman year, this element has been crucial to his role as captain. “Mason’s been a key factor to our team’s chemistry this season as he’s been super welcoming to all grades and players. Growing alongside him these past four  years has been a great experience,” a senior  teammate explained.

Looking forward, Mangione is eager for his team to continue improving and winning. “For Glen Rock, I think as a team, we definitely have our eyes on winning a sectional championship, along with competing for an NJIC championship. We felt like we got one game short of each of those last year. So I think hopefully we can get over the hump and win, hopefully both of them.”

Mangione will bring his talents to The College of New Jersey this fall, joining the team as a highly anticipated basketball recruit. He is eager to lengthen his basketball career at a higher level, while continuing to pursue his dream.