Makaiya Brooks, the all‑time leading scorer in Springfield Public Schools history, is trading the familiar hardwood of Missouri for the cobblestone streets of Olhão, Portugal.
The 6‑foot guard signed a professional contract with Ginasio Clube Olhanense, a club competing in the Campeonato Nacional da 2a Divisão Feminina, the country’s second‑tier women’s league.
A New Chapter Abroad
Brooks caught the eye of the Portuguese side after a four‑game Eurobasket Tour in Lisbon, where she averaged 26.3 points, eight rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals, and erupted for a 40‑point performance in her third outing.
Her coach during that showcase, Madi Wallace, currently leads the Evangel University program, and helped facilitate the move.
At Drury University she posted a 43.6% three‑point rate and averaged 8.9 points per game, while at Memphis she contributed 26.3 points per game in four showcase matches.
She will be joined by fellow American Christina Passerell and former Southwest Baptist forward Claudia Sancho, adding depth to a squad that finished the previous season 19‑3.
Off the court, Brooks looks forward to immersing herself in a new culture while continuing to develop as a player, with thoughts of eventually returning to coaching.