SAN ANTONIO — When it comes to basketball, Hailey Adams doesn't always listen to her parents. She'd rather fill the stat sheet. 

"They want me to score more, but I always have to tell them 'no, it’s OK'," Adams said. "I've been playing point guard all my life. I was never a big scorer."

The San Antonio Clark senior has been a mainstay on the varsity Cougars team since her freshman year. She's grown — both mentally and physically — into one of the top players in the Class of 2022 in Texas, doing the little things on both ends of the court.

"It all fits into the leadership role," Adams said. "Anyone on our team can score, and it’s not always the role for me and I'm totally fine with that.”

The 6-foot-1-inch guard was an All-State selection last season, averaging 9.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. She said she takes the most pride in her defense, however, and is routinely tasked with guarding an opponent's best player — an unselfishness that comes from her desire to win.

The Cougars have won three straight district championships and are the favorite to win a fourth this year. They've been ranked inside the top 10 in Class 6A the entire season. 

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else," Adams said. "We are all super excited for our season, and we all think we can get to state and that's what really matters. If you have the mindset, there's a good chance you're gonna get there."

Adams isn't just a tough defender on the hardwood either. She's also a standout for the Cougars soccer team, earning All-District honors the past two years.

A two-sport star in the era of specialization, Adams will soon be concentrating solely on basketball. 

“My goal was to play college sports either way, and COVID kind of put a wrench in the soccer world," Adams said. "I love soccer and basketball equally, but basketball is what I obviously chose to move forward with.

She signed to play collegiately with Rice University in November 2021. 

"Rice has great academics, but what really sold me are the coaches and the environment," Adams said. "I took two visits there, one unofficial and one official. Both times I loved it."