How Marina Mabrey’s all-star turn with Tempo was forged in the fire of family

It all brought Dara Mabrey back to the driveway days.

The 26-year-old was deep in a practice at Toronto Tempo training camp with older sister Marina this spring, and she was defending her as doggedly as she might’ve growing up back home in Belmar, N.J., as the shot clock wound down in a scrimmage.

It didn’t matter. Marina drained a three-pointer. Head coach Sandy Brondello’s eyes lit up.

A star — now the expansion Tempo’s first all-star — was born.

“I didn't even care. I was so happy to see her out there and see everybody so excited. When she would go out there and do her thing, like shoot a behind-the-back stepback three from half court, everybody’s eyes would light up and it was just [an] energy boost in the gym. Like there she is, that’s what you guys signed for this year,” Dara recalled.

A very mature reaction. Might it have been different back in the driveway?

“I felt like I made her take maybe a little bit more of a difficult shot than I did when we were younger,” Dara said. “She's gonna be pissed reading that in the article.”

Marina, 29, will compete in her first all-star game on Saturday in Chicago, where the defence may not be quite as intense. She’ll also participate in the three-point shooting contest on Friday.

Toronto Tempo all-star Marina Mabrey to compete in WNBA 3-point contest

Staying together in the same home for the weekend is the entire Mabrey clan, including dad Roy, mom Patti, brothers Roy, 34, and Ryan, 23, and sisters Michaela, 32, and Dara, 26.

While both parents were competitive triathletes, all five siblings are involved in basketball — Dara was in training camp with the Tempo before being cut prior to opening day, Michaela just ended a stint as an assistant coach at Notre Dame (where all three