‘It’s just in my blood.’ Another Slocum brings another district title to Mountain View
Trinity Slocum has heard all the comparisons to her older sister, Destiny Slocum, the only McDonald’s All-American in Idaho history.
But the junior is writing her own legacy at Mountain View, and she added another chapter to it Friday with a furious finish to carry the Mavericks to back-to-back 5A District Three tournament titles.
Slocum racked up 18 points and nine rebounds to lead the No. 1-ranked Mavericks to a 61-56, come-from-behind victory over No. 2 Timberline. And she saved her best for last, scoring 10 points in the final 4 minutes and six straight to finish the game.
“It’s just in my blood, honestly,” Slocum said with a smile outside the locker rooms at Borah High. “When it comes down to it, you just don’t back down. I’m not scared of anything.”
The win clinches Mountain View (21-2) the Southern Idaho Conference’s top seed at next week’s 5A state tournament. The Mavericks face Boise (15-8) in the first round at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Ford Idaho Center.
Timberline (21-3) faces the second place-team from North Idaho (Lake City or Post Falls) at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Idaho Center.
Timberline, whose only losses all season have come to Mountain View, erased an 11-point halftime deficit to take a 52-48 lead with 3:43 left. But then Slocum turned on the family’s trademark killer instinct.
Her runner in the paint and a putback tied the game at 52. Another runner over 6-foot-2 center Sophia Glancey put the Mavericks ahead 57-56 with 1:15 left, and Slocum stood and flexed over Glancey as she picked herself off the floor.
Slocum then sank 4-of-4 free throws in the final minute to ice the fourth district title in program history. A Slocum has led the Mavericks to every one of those championships, with the sisters claiming two each.
“I believe it’s in her blood. Have you seen her the way she plays?” Mountain View senior guard Laila Saenz said. “She always plays with heart, and that’s what I love about Trin’. When we’re down, she’s usually the one to pick us up.”
Mountain View entered the game shorthanded after 6-1 sophomore post Naya Ojukwu sprained an ankle in the district tournament opener last week. Missing the team’s leader in points (14.3 ppg), rebounds (6.1) and blocks (1.9) left the Mavericks with a size disadvantage. But a group of bench players rallied to outrebound the much larger Wolves 34-29, including 16 offensive rebounds.
Senior Abby Mundy led the effort, scoring a career-high 17 points off the bench to go along with five rebounds. Saenz added 16 points, all in the first half, as three Mavericks reached double figures.
“We just lost Naya and everybody was expecting us to lose this game,” Mundy said. “To be able to win this game was huge for us.”
The final buzzer set off a muted celebration from the Mountain View bench. The Mavericks posed for pictures with the district trophy at midcourt. But larger goals remain ahead.
Mountain View also won a district title last year, and entered the state tournament undefeated and as the prohibitive favorite. An upset loss to Eagle spoiled the perfect season and kept the Mavericks from hanging a second state championship banner, a goal that remains at the top of their list.
“We know what our ultimate goal is,” Mountain View coach Connie Skogrand said. “Yes, we love the fact that we won the district championship. But we’re after a win in the state championship.”
Emma Ellinghouse finished with a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds for Timberline, and Glancey added 17 points on 7-for-9 shooting.
This story was originally published February 14, 2020 at 9:39 PM.
