MARSHALL, Texas — When Adyson James was getting ready for her visit to Mary Hardin-Baylor last spring, she made sure to take a quick look at the women’s basketball roster as part of her preparation. And as she went down the list, one name in particular stuck out, more so because of the Corpus Christi hometown than anything else.
“I was looking through the roster and was like, ‘I know her! That’s Katelen!’” James, a sophomore transfer from Division I Nicholls State, recalled.
“Katelen” was Katelen Brooks, a returning guard entering her junior season, and the connection between the two was unique. It didn’t trace back to high school basketball, time on the AAU circuit together, or even middle school hoops. Instead, Brooks and James developed their rivalry on the court all the way back in 5th grade, often playing on rival teams as young athletes growing up in the coastal bend of Texas in Corpus Christi.
“They were definitely the more in-your-face, aggressive team, and I feel like we were more slight shooters,” Brooks, who is averaging 9.5 points per game for the 17-8 Crusaders, remembered. “It was two different styles of play that would create really close games. It was always fun to play against her team growing up.”
James looks back and remembers the same contrasting styles of play between the two teams, having fostered her passion for the sport on courts in Corpus Christi before moving to San Antonio, where she played at Cibolo High School.
“Yes, we were definitely the more get-in-your-face team, but it was always great,” James said. “We’d always been rivals, but it’s cool that we’ve now come to play together here at UMHB.”
When James showed up for her campus visit, Brooks was the one assigned to show her around in a true full circle moment. After James moved to San Antonio, the two didn’t get the opportunity to face off again, their battles as elementary schoolers stuck back in the archives. Who would’ve thought they’d one day end up on the same court again, over eight years later?
“Coach [Katie] Novak told me, ‘Hey, there’s a girl coming who said that she started playing in Corpus,’” Brooks said. “I looked at her name, and thought, ‘That name looks familiar.’ Then I ended up being the one to take her on her visit. I just thought, ‘This is so cool.’”
The visit went so well, in fact, that James chose UMHB as her landing spot, immediately elevating The Cru’s depth in the frontcourt. For a squad that struggled to find high-post presence down the stretch of last year, James’ hard-nosed style to attack the glass on rebounds and drive the ball into the paint has paid dividends. She heads into Friday’s ASC Tournament semifinal averaging 8.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, ranking in the team’s top four in both categories. Her 39 steals are tied for second on the roster, only to Jaycie Brisco’s 55.
“Coming from my last school to UMHB, it’s definitely a different atmosphere,” James noted. “I’m close with all the girls. We’re competitive. I love it.”
When the team stepped on the practice floor in the fall, Brooks and James went from former rivals to tight-knit teammates, now chasing the same goals with the same team. They have enjoyed that new dynamic of it all, back on the same court again as they were all those years prior in Corpus Christi, competing against each other daily in practice. The only difference now is that they’re both wearing the same jersey. “It’s been really fun,” Brooks said. “We still talk mess and talk to each other like we did in Corpus…”“But now we’re close,” James added with a laugh.
They’ve complemented each other in their first season together in Belton, with Brooks’ strength as an outside shooter—she is second on the team in made 3s—and James as an inside and mid-range scorer. Of course, that translates to the defensive end as well, where both have contributed to a defense allowing just 59.9 points per game in ASC play. It’s been a stellar combination, fostered through their friendship.
“I know that I can trust her in the inside, and she knows that if she gets stuck, she always has me on the outside to knock down that shot,” said Brooks, who has seen her minutes per game rise from 9.1 a year ago to 23.6 this season. “Watching us grow up, she knows the passes that I’m making, so it’s fun to see that someone is ready for those passes.”
“If I don’t have the move, I know Katelen will be there on that wing,” James added. “And I’m going to pass it to her and she’s going to hit the shot.”
While each of their skill sets have evolved significantly since those early matchups as young players, both agreed that the core attributes of their styles of play are still evident, even now at the college level. And the same goes for their individual tendencies on the court.
“I know if Katelen is looking the other way, it’s coming to me,” James said. “I know her well.”
The duo now looks to extend this season by another week, recognizing that they both need to play at a high level if UMHB is to reach the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive season. The Cru, who went 6-2 in ASC play and finished second in the league, face Hardin-Simmons on Friday at 5 p.m., with a win likely earning them a third meeting against top-seeded ETBU in Saturday’s 6 p.m. championship game. The winner will advance to the national tournament with the ASC’s automatic bid.
“We played really good basketball this weekend,” Brooks said after a 71-44 win over Howard Payne in the regular season finale. “That gives us the confidence that if we play at our level, and play our game, we can beat anyone.”
Previewing Friday’s semifinal
No. 2 seed UMHB vs No. 3 seed Hardin-Simmons
- Records: UMHB (17-8, 6-2 ASC), HSU (18-7, 4-4 ASC)
- NCAA Power Index Ranks: UMHB (No. 46), HSU (No. 58)
- Against each other in 2024-25: UMHB is 2-0 against HSU, having won 74-68 in Abilene on Feb. 1, and 75-60 in Belton on Feb. 20. It marked UMHB’s first season sweep over HSU since the 2021-22 campaign.
On Offense
- Mary Hardin-Baylor averaged 67.6 points per game through the conference schedule, but surpassed that average in both meetings with HSU, averaging 74.5 PPG against the Cowgirls. The Cru also shot 40% from the field against ASC competition, the second-highest mark in the league, and in their 25-game regular season schedule, averaged 15.4 offensive rebounds per contest. Josie Bruder enters postseason play as The Cru’s lone scorer in double figures, at 11.7 PPG, and Bruder also leads the team in free throw percentage (min. 10 attempts), shooting 88.3% from the charity stripe. In addition to Bruder, James, and Brooks, senior Jaycie Brisco leads UMHB in assists, with 77 this season, and tallied five assists in each of The Cru’s two games last week.
- Hardin-Simmons comes into the matchup averaging an ASC-best 74.8 points per game, shooting 39.4% from the field and 30.6% from 3-point range. Within conference action, HSU has recorded the most made field goals of any team in the league, converting on 225 shots. The Cowgirls are led by a pair of guards in sophomore Madison Williams and freshman Jacqueline Berry. Williams averages 13.8 PPG and Berry, a frontrunner for ASC Freshman of the Year, averages 13.6. Williams also leads HSU in assists, with 56 this season. Also keep an eye on senior Aiken Semones, as the League City, Texas product is shooting 40% from 3-point range (62 of 155) and is HSU’s most reliable long-range shooter.
On Defense
- Mary Hardin-Baylor is amongst the ASC’s top defensive teams, allowing just 58.4 points per game this season and having held 10 opponents below 50 points. The Cru forced 17.9 turnovers per game in conference play and averaged 11.5 steals per contest through the entirety of the regular season. Brisco leads that charge, with 2.3 steals per game, and is just three steals away from tallying the fifth-most steals in a career in program history. Brisco’s 23 blocks also lead the team and are tied for third in the ASC.
- Hardin-Simmons has given up 60.3 points per game this season, and 65.3 through ASC play. The Cowgirls far and away led the league in turnovers forced per game, with 21.6 through their eight-game conference slate, and come into Friday’s game averaging 12.6 steals per game. Berry is a huge part of that, with 60 steals on the year. Freshman MaeSyn Gay has also been crucial for HSU defensively, with 23 blocks this season.
Follow the Action: Watch Friday’s game live on goetbutigers.com. The broadcast will begin at approximately 4:55 p.m., with tip-off set for 5 p.m. CT.
