The start was ‘embarrassing.’ The finish was legendary for Mountain View’s state title
Never count out a defending state champ. The Mountain View girls basketball team showed why Saturday.
Trailing by 16 points in the second quarter, the Mavericks roared back to life in the second half and raced past Thunder Ridge 62-55 to repeat as 5A state champions at the Ford Idaho Center.
The comeback was nothing new for Mountain View, which also rallied late to beat Timberline in the opening round of the state tournament and to top Boise for the district championship last week.
“We like to keep everybody on their toes, you know?” Mountain View senior D’Nia Williams told reporters after the game. “You guys think we’re going to lose. And then we’re like, ‘Nah. It was a joke.’”
Little went right for Mountain View (20-2) in the first half. Thunder Ridge (21-5) out rebounded the Mavericks 30-16 at the break. Williams and junior forward Naya Ojukwu both got into early foul trouble. And Mountain View couldn’t buy a 3-pointer to pull the Titans out of their zone defense.
But all that changed at halftime. Mountain View put on a show in the second half behind its three-headed monster of Ojukwu, Trinity Slocum and Williams, mounting a 22-2 run to seize control.
“‘We’re embarrassing ourselves,’ is what I told them (at halftime),” Mountain View coach Connie Skogrand said. “I said we need to start out hustling them. And so they took out that to heart.”
Ojukwu posted her third straight double-double of the tournament, finishing with 32 points and 16 rebounds. The performance allowed her to set a new 5A state tournament scoring record with 87 points in three games, besting the previous record of 85 set by former Mountain View great Destiny Slocum, the only McDonald’s All-American in state history.
Ojukwu’s jaw dropped when she heard the news before collecting herself.
“Freshman year, that was one of my goals because I always looked up to her so much,” Ojukwu said. “Freshman year, I was like, ‘I love her, but I’m going to break her records.’”
Ojukwu also tied a 5A tournament record with 33 made field goals, finishing the weekend 33-for-52 from the field. She also grabbed 40 rebounds. Idaho does not keep rebounding records.
Not to be left out, Williams set a tournament record of her own. She drained 5-of-8 3-pointers Saturday to score 15 points, including 12 in the second half. That allowed her to finish the weekend 13-for-22 behind the arc, edging the previous record of 12 made 3-pointers set by Eagle’s Meghan Boyd in 2019.
But perhaps the largest spark came from Trinity Slocum. She struggled in the first half, not scoring her first points until 53 seconds remained in the second quarter. But Ojukwu said she looked over at the Mavericks’ four-year starter at halftime and never saw her bat an eye.
“She was just sitting there like it’s any other game,” Ojukwu said. “So that gave me hope.”
The Mavericks’ emotional leader and four-year starter then took over the third quarter, grabbing three steals in the frame, pushing the pace and finding Ojukwu and Williams wide open for easy buckets.
The younger sister of Destiny Slocum often played in her shadow, constantly drawing comparisons and wearing the same No. 24. But Trinity Slocum leaves Mountain View with a decorated career that would make anyone jealous. Both won back-to-back state titles to end their career. But Trinity Slocum won more district titles (three) and finished with a better career record (87-13) than her sister.
“I just kept the legacy going, and that’s what I’m most proud about,” said Trinity Slocum, who has signed with Hawaii. “I hope that the younger generations can keep it going, even without the last name or the number.”
Trinity Slocum said she also took pride in helping Ojukwu break her sister’s scoring record.
“A lot of people expected me to be that person,” Trinity Slocum said. “But I’m glad that I could share in that and be the assist-er for the person that can beat that. Why not be happy?”
Boston University signee Lauren Davenport led Thunder Ridge with 12 points and nine rebounds. Sophomore Aspen Caldwell added 11 points, and Sierra John added nine points and 10 rebounds for the Titans, who made a surprise run to the finals.
The third-year school from Idaho Falls is the first team from East Idaho to qualify for a 5A state championship game since Pocatello in 1995.
Rigby takes third: The Trojans (21-3) rebounded to knock off Coeur d’Alene 47-41 in the 5A third-place game.
Rigby senior Tylie Jones finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Junior Brooklyn Youngstrom added 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
Boise repeats as consolation champs: Allison Ross and Ava Oakland each scored 17 points to lead the Brave (11-5) to a 52-41 win over Timberline in the consolation final.
Ashley Banks added nine points, 10 rebounds and four blocks as Boise finished with a 41-28 advantage in rebounds. The Brave also held Timberline to two points in the second quarter and led the entire way.
Sophia Glancey paced Timberline (12-4) with 15 points and 10 rebounds, her second double-double of the tournament.
4A STATE TOURNAMENT
Blackfoot wins first title: Three Broncos (22-7) scored in double figures to lead Blackfoot to a 50-46 win over perennial power Century (18-6) and the best finish in program history.
Prairie Caldwell led the way with 14 points and four assists for Blackfoot, which had to win a play-in game just to qualify for state. Hadley Humphreys added 12 points, and Esperanza Vergara chipped in 11.
Burley finishes third: Sophomore Amari Whiting shattered a 4A tournament scoring record, finishing the three-day tournament with 82 points after pouring in 31 in a 45-32 win over Sandpoint.
The previous record was 67, set by Sandpoint’s Maddie Schoening in 2015.
Whiting shot 10-for-14 from the floor, and she added seven rebounds for Burley (19-6). She previously set the single-game scoring record Thursday with 37 points against Middleton.
Skyline gets trophy: Mattie Olson scored 23 points, and the Grizzlies (19-8) forced 22 turnovers to beat Mountain Home 54-37 in the consolation final.
3A STATE TOURNAMENT
Timberlake repeats: The Tigers (23-2) won their second straight title and fourth in six years, blowing past Sugar-Salem 65-49.
Taryn Soumas scored a game-high 23 points, and Brooke Jessen added 21 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
Timberlake’s only losses this year were to 5A state qualifier Coeur d’Alene.
Parma falls in third-place game: The Panthers (17-7) fell short of winning their fourth straight tournament trophy, losing 53-50 to Filer in the third-place game.
Ella Fischer led all scorers with 20 points, and Alexis Monson added 16 points for Filer (18-11).
Parma’s Grace Jackson finished with 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Marsh Valley wins consolation trophy: The Eagles (17-11) edged conference rival Snake River 51-48 by forcing 20 turnovers.
Marsh Valley’s Hayley Bennett led a balanced scoring effort with 12 points, and Maycee Lunt added nine points, eight rebounds and four assists.
This story was originally published February 20, 2021 at 11:14 PM.
