Got Next: Mackenzie Trpcic

On the surface, Mackenzie Trpcic (pronounced: trip-zik) is a mild mannered, Grade 9 student at St Mary’s high school in Hamilton, ON. A deeper look at this petite Point Guard’s game however, shows something completely different.

At 5’5”, she has big game ability that the casual fan may blink and miss. But, to those that look past her even keeled mannerism, which almost keeps her under the radar, they soon come to realize that her game does all the talking for her. And it screams quite loudly.

Her success stems from her ability to not only read how each play is evolving in front of her, but to pull from a variety of methods in her repertoire that can be used to counteract those situations. And, by not getting rattled by what is presented to her, she usually makes good decisions that allows her to play within the context of the game.

“I definitely push the ball a lot up and down the court. That’s what my team relies on”, she said when describing the way that
she plays. “I play fast and work on my ball handling
a lot. I’m comfortable with shooting the ball anywhere on the
court. And, I definitely like passing the ball a lot to try to make
my teammates look good.”

Over the years, she has won at the highest levels in the Province Ontario. At the rep level, she has won an Ontario Basketball Association (OBA) Division 1 Gold Medal. And at the high school level, she has also won an Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Association (OFSAA) 3A Gold Medal. All of which continue to fuel her desire to win.

She comes from a family that loves basketball. Her father Brandon, played at a high level when he was back in school. Her younger sister Madison has embraced the game and is beginning to make strides on her Oakville Venom U13 team that just finished winning a 2013 OBA Division 1 Gold Medal, and older brother Matthew is currently courting a number of NCAA D1 offers as he gets set to enter into his final high school year later on this Fall.

“I’ve grown up watching my brother play basketball. He’s a very smart player”, she being the middle sibling said, showing respect for the accomplishments that her brother has been able to achieve.

She also went on to mention a couple of pros who have influenced her style of play. “Candace Parker when she played at Tennessee,” she said reflectively. “Steve Nash is another one of them, with his tremendous passing game, and getting all of his teammates involved
and always encouraging them.”

Even though her love for the game of basketball runs deep, Mackenzie is a multi-sport athlete. Last summer, she was asked to play for the Provincial soccer team after playing for her Oakville Fury soccer team. Still playing soccer and occasionally getting on the slopes to do some skiing from time to time, she also like to hangout with friends, watch television and read when it’s time to unwind and take her mind off of basketball.

Despite Trpcic’s slender build, she plays with a lot of heart and has shown that she can take her lumps. And while there is time for her to gain some mass being only a freshman, her courage and ability to compete bode well as a sought after skill looked upon favorably for the next level. After bringing up the topic with her, she has no qualms about playing north or south of the border after she graduates from St Mary’s. And with a lot of time left before graduating with the rest of her Class of 2016, she remains grounded enough to know that she would like to keep all of her options open, including her choice of career, which includes considering pursuing Law or Medicine. She has even considered becoming an Orthodontist.

With a stellar 95% average and all that she already brings to the court, it appears as though she is able to accomplish anything she puts her mind to.