Bolingbrook sophomore Trinity Jones getting national attention on the basketball court
CHICAGO (CBS)-- Bolingbrook sophomore Trinity Jones has quickly captured the attention of fans and even went viral after dunking this summer.
Jones transferred from Naperville Central to Bolingbrook just before the start of her sophomore season. At 6-foot-1, she brought not only size and athleticism to the program but also a big personality.
"She's a fun-loving kid, just a go-getter, joking and laughing all the time," coach Chris Smith said. "Such a great kid, and that's what makes the transition so much easier because she's easy to get along with."
Don't let that smile fool you. On the court, the consensus No.1-ranked player in the state and top 10-ranked player nationally in her class means business.
The Bolingbrook girls' basketball team won its tenth straight regional championship this week with a talented roster that includes four college commits in its senior class. They also have young players.
"I just love to win. I don't like losing, so I guess my mentality is to always win and destroy, so when I get on the court, it's like go mode," Jones said.
It is a mentality that Jones said was shaped over the summer, winning a gold medal as a member of the U-16 junior national team.
"Being 15 playing in Mexico for Team USA is one of the biggest accomplishments I could ever ask for," she said. "That was a really good blessing of mine. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't be as mature as I am today or as confident."
"To have that level of experience at such a young age, you know, we could talk about all the accolades, points, and rebounds, assists, everything, but developing a winning mentality is the key. To be around other great players and learn how to win is what intrigues a lot of folks about her," said Smith.
Trinity's work ethic and ability to be goal-oriented at a young age are also notable.
In eighth grade, she tweeted that she wanted to dunk by her sophomore year. This past summer at a camp in North Carolina, well, she did.
"They were looking at all the tall girls who could do it, and I was like, 'Hey, I'll try it.'
"After a couple of tries, I got it in there. It was crazy. It was the best experience, too," she said. "I'm happy I was able to accomplish that. Hopefully, I'll get an in-game dunk soon."
While some of her impressive goals have already become a reality, Jones still has big plans for her time at Bolingbrook.
"She's been fortunate enough to win a lot on the AAU circuit as well as the USA team. "Her goal at high school level now is to get state championships," Smith said.
Something she still has a few years to accomplish while trying to sort out offers from more than 30 Division I programs and counting.