Forward Maya Linton returns for her fifth year at UTSA after sitting out last season with a knee injury. – File photo by Joe Alexander
By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay
UTSA fifth-year senior guard Maya Linton caught the ball off the right baseline, pulled up and popped.
Her mid-range jumper thwacked against the backside of the iron and redirected toward the bottom of the net, where it nestled home for two points.
As play continued last Thursday in an up-and-down practice at the new Basketball and Volleyball Training Center, a team of men competing against the Roadrunners’ women pushed the pace in the other direction and misfired on a shot of their own.
Idara Udo says Maya Linton has worked hard to improve her jump shot. – File photo by Joe Alexander
With the ball coming off the iron, Linton slashed inside to snare the defensive board. The women, as a result, were off to the races the other way. Eventually, the ball swung around to the left corner, where Linton had spotted up beyond the 3-point line.
Swish.
It was an eye-opening sequence for a few media members who came out to watch the open session. Since Linton arrived at UTSA in 2022, she has been known as one of the most tenacious defensive players on the team, perhaps in all of the American Conference, but not much of a scorer.
And now? Exactly what can fans expect to see from her after she sat out her fourth season on campus in knee rehabilitation? Hopefully, an improved player who will bring loads of experience to the team.
“I don’t want to be biased,” UTSA senior forward Idara Udo said. “But Maya’s a dawg on defense. Everyone knows that. Just the way she can move. The way she can pressure the ball. And the way she can make plays on defense, is something that a lot of teams don’t have.
“I think people look to her as a defensive player. But Maya has been in the gym a lot and has worked on her 3-point shot. She’s worked on her reads. Her ball handling. So I think Maya’s one of the best when it comes to defense, for sure.”
Linton can’t remember exactly when she injured her knee. But she said she started to feel that something was wrong near the end of her junior year in 2024-25, when the Roadrunners won the American’s regular season title.
For Linton, who played in high school at both Timber Creek and Duncanville in the DFW area, it was an emotional time.
Joyous in that she was a full-time starter and that the team had finished first in the American at 17-1 and 26-5 overall. But, a little nervous in not knowing what would happen in the offseason.
Looking back, she said she feels like she was “definitely” playing near the end of the year with the injury.
“But it’s the kind of thing, when you love basketball, you’re going to go through it,” she said. “And, also, we were winning. So you kind of put that (pain) in the back of your mind. You got to deal with it at the end of the season, and that’s what I did.”
UTSA coach Karen Aston welcomes the return of both Maya Linton and Taylor Ross, who both suffered injuries and sat out all of last season. – File photo by Joe Alexander
Linton said a postseason medical exam revealed that the anterior cruciate ligament was almost completely torn, leading to a surgery done in the first week of April.
“They told me that if I would keep playing (on it) that it would probably blow out at any minute,” she said. “So I went ahead and got the surgery just as a precaution.”
It was the start of a difficult offseason for the Roadrunners. By fall camp, forwards Taylor Ross and Sema Udo also suffered leg injuries. In all, between six or seven players were unavailable at various times during the season.
Remarkably, the Roadrunners pulled it together in March and stormed to the American’s postseason title, earning a trip to the NCAA tournament.
During the season, Linton attacked rehabilitation aggressively. Part of it was the agonizing work on strengthening the knee. Part of it was on-court drills. Like, just shooting the ball.
Even though she felt supported by the coaches and her teammates, at the same time, she also acknowledged that it was tough on her personally, not being able to contribute on the court.
“It was sad, honestly, for me,” Linton said. “But seeing how my teammates did, I was very, very proud of them. I was trying to be the best teammate I could be. The (previous) year I was a starter, winning all the time.
“But that wasn’t the case last year. So, I had to take on new roles and responsibilities. Just, to be the best teammate I could be on the sideline.”
Sema Udo has yet to return to practice, still working through her rehabilitation. But Linton and Ross are ready to go for the start of the coming season. UTSA coach Karen Aston said the addition of the two will supply a boost.
“I’m super excited about Taylor,” Aston said. “She probably doesn’t know that because I’m on her all the time. But Taylor has a lot of versatility.
“When I watch her, I have to remind myself that her and Maya didn’t play at all last year. Sometimes when I get frustrated, I’m like, well, there’s this learning curve coming back and playing again. They’re both in that right now.
“But I would expect that, barring a setback of any kind with those two, we’ll look a lot different in January than we do right now. They’re getting used to playing basketball again.”
Linton said she is enjoying the grind of practice once again, readying for a new season.
“It feels great,” she said. “Feels like I’ve been gone for so long. You know, (my teammates), they just make it all worthwhile, coming back. To be able to do the things I love with the people I love, just makes it amazing. I’m happy.”
Sophomore forward Taylor Ross is expected to play a prominent role for the Roadrunners, who have won back-to-back titles in the American. The standout from San Antonio Brennan High School is a skilled post player who can step out and shoot from the perimeter. – File photo by Joe Alexander.