Robert E. Lee sisters Bre Brooks (left) and Tree Brooks have provided a spark on the hardwood for the Lady Raiders. (Herb Nygren Jr. | Tyler Morning Telegraph)

Robert E. Lee siblings Bre Brooks and Tree Brooks grew up playing against each other.

“We used to play one-on-one,” Tree said.

Bre adds: “She was always the best at defense and I was always the best at offense.”

Now they are on the same team.

Two sisters playing varsity basketball is not uncommon, but when one is a senior, the other a freshman and they start at point guard and shooting guard, that is a little more unexpected.

It was certainly a surprise for senior point guard Bre Brooks.

“It’s really crazy because I really never thought that Tree would be a basketball player,” Bre said. “Tree is really intelligent and has so many things (she’s good at), I never really thought she’d choose basketball and be (dedicated) enough to play varsity as a freshman.”

Tree, a nickname she prefers from her full name Antreanna, enters today’s game against Mesquite averaging six points per game with nearly two rebounds and two steals. She’s also third on the team with 25 3-pointers.

“I’ve been thinking about it for the past two years and how fun it would be,” Tree said about playing with her older sister. “I watched all of (her games) that I could make it to when I was in middle school.”

It would be tough to watch all of Bre’s games. 

Since stepping on campus as a freshman in 2008, Briana Brooks has started every game for Lee at point guard. She received all-district newcomer of the year honors as a freshman and continued to rack up all-district accolades as a sophomore and junior with Bre named All-East Texas last year.

Bre began this year by signing a scholarship to North Texas and is currently enjoying the best statistical year of her career, scoring 19.7 points per game with 9.2 assists and 5.3 rebounds per contest. She also leads Lee with 60 3-pointers.

“I am glad to have both of them on the floor,” said Lee coach Lloyd Mahaffey. “They’ve been a big asset to the program. (Bre) was a little hesitant at the beginning of the year (to pass to her sister) and I think their relationship has grown throughout the year to trust each other as basketball players. 

“They have their sister spats like all siblings do, but Tree is starting to buy into it.”

The Lady Raiders are currently second place in District 11-5A with a 3-1 record and looking to bounce back from their first league setback on Tuesday against DeSoto.

Bre Brooks began this season with two goals: win district and win at least one playoff game. It would be Lee’s first district championship in over a decade, and despite making the playoffs the two previous seasons, it would be Lee’s first postseason win since 2005.

“I want to go undefeated all the way through ’til my senior night and I want my (district) win back from DeSoto,” Bre Brooks said.  “We’ve got to do (whatever it takes) to finish in first; to get the gold ball.”

Mahaffey said the two sisters have worked well together and are a big reason Lee is near the top of the league standings. 

“Tree doesn’t play like a freshman; she plays like an upperclassman, especially when it comes to defense and she has her games where she picks up some slack and scores some big buckets for us,” Mahaffey said. “Bre is a competitor; she doesn’t like to lose and she’s going to get it done day in and day out.”

Lee began the season with a clear need at shooting guard and Bre admits she was not sure who would fill that role. Now that Tree is in that spot, it gives Bre another player to look for on offense that she trusts.

“We’ve got that chemistry out there,” Bre Brooks said. “I am thinking ‘where is my sister, I’ve got to find her because I know she’s a shooter, my 2-guard, so I’ve got to go find her.’ 

“If (Ciara Johnson) is down on the block, it’s an automatic to Tree because I know (CJ will be drawing a double team).”

Tree said playing with her sister can be challenging, but she is enjoying every minute of it.

“It’s intense and kind of fun,” Tree Brooks said. “We have our ups and downs on the court. We argue (sometimes), but it’s only for the best. She pushes me because she’s already to that level where she’s going places and she just wants me to do better.”

 

Red Raiders Face Mesquite On Road

Robert E. Lee hopes the road provides better results than its home court as the Red Raiders face Mesquite in a District 11-5A basketball game at 7 p.m.

Lee (15-8, 0-2) was able to stay with Mesquite Horn and DeSoto in the first half of its first two league games, but succumbed in the second half to lose both games. 

Mesquite (12-9), meanwhile, defeated Longview but was upset Tuesday by North Mesquite to leave the Skeeters at 1-1.