NAMPA, Idaho — This week, the best girls basketball teams from across Idaho are hitting the court in hopes of taking home a state championship.
The Real Dairy Shootout kicked off Thursday with games spread across Nampa, Boise, Kuna, and Middleton. After the first round, four Treasure Valley teams are moving on to the next stage on their quest for a title.
Eagle, Rocky Mountain, Timberline, and Mountain View won their games Thursday and will play again Friday in the semifinals. 6 On Your Side caught up with the Mountain View Mavs to find out one of their keys to success.
"We are just best friends. We just click on the floor, we click outside, we know we can trust each other, and we have been playing since I was in sixth grade and she was in fifth," said Trinity Slocum, describing her connection with teammate Laila Saenz.
If Slocum's name sounds familiar, it shouldn't come as a surprise. Destiny Slocum helped send Mountain View to back-to-back titles before moving on to D1 basketball, eventually landing at Oregon State.
Slocum says this year's team is also hoping to make a mark in Mavs history with their own state championship win, but standing in their way is Eagle--the team who defeated Mountain View in last year's state title game.
"Definitely last year's loss is motivation for us," said Saenz.
For the parents in the stands, they call right now a magical time of year to cheer on their teams.
"I'm very proud of her and the whole team," said Christina Slocum.
Mountain View takes on Eagle at 6:15 Friday night at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa. That game will be followed by the other 5A semifinal featuring Timberline and Rocky Mountain. Tip-off is expected at 8 p.m.
On the other side, Mountain View defeated Boise to make it to the semifinal. Boise will play Coeur d'Alene at 1:15, also at the Ford Idaho Center.
