‘Game of the Century’: TXST’s Mason Harrell faces off against brother in family affair

On the surface, the basketball game between Texas State and the University of the Science & Arts on Wednesday may not seem much considering the significant differences between the two schools — one competing as an NCAA Division I team and the other as a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics squad.

But to the Harrell family, this was the Game of the Century.

Coming all the way down from Oklahoma, the Harrells saw a once in a lifetime game as Texas State guard Mason Harrell battled his younger brother Jaden Harrell at Strahan Arena.

“I was both excited and nervous at the same time,” said Cary Harrell, Mason and Jaden’s mother. “I didn’t know if a lot of people were going to be able to watch the game but we were all here and we made it.”

For both Mason and Jaden’s father Eddie Harrell, it could only be described as a unique circumstance.

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,”  Eddie Harrell said. “You hardly get two brothers in college at the same time on top of playing college basketball at the same time. It was big for our family. For me and their mother, it was a big moment seeing how much work the two put in to now seeing it on the floor on different levels on all kinds of basketball.”

Though head basketball coach Terrence Johnson keeps his emotions close to the chest, even he could feel the energy coming into the game considering the relationship between Mason and Jaden.

“I’m not an emotional guy like that but I told his dad, ‘Man I don’t know you held it together, I would have cried”, Johnson said. “Understanding how Mason is so close to his family and how Jaden idolizes him for a very good reason because Mason is an unbelievable basketball player but he is an even better person and big brother.”

Heading into the basketball game, both brothers could feel both the nerves and the anxiety as the date got closer.

“[The emotions] were high,” Mason Harrell said. “I was just excited for it. I had never had the opportunity to play with [Jaden] in high school since he was a freshman but this was fun.”

“I was very emotional,” Jaden Harrell added. “The day before I was just really anxious.  I couldn’t go to sleep knowing that the family was going to be here. He is my brother and the closest person to me so just going up against him and competing I knew it was going to be the best time of my life.”

Though perhaps their father was probably the most worried out of everyone.

“I was sick as a dog for the last couple of days,” Eddie Harrell said. “As much as brothers fight and compete, it was very surreal seeing them on the court at the same time … The emotions were everywhere.”

When describing each other as basketball players, there was nothing but high praise, especially for Jaden as he considers his older brother his role model.

“It’s how [Mason] carries himself,” Jaden Harrell said. “The work he puts in, the hours he is in the gym from early in the morning to late at night. It just shows dedication. To see him do it made it possible for me to do it too.”

“[Jaden’s] IQ,” Mason Harrell said. “He is one of the smartest point guards that I know and have seen play at any level. He controls the pace of the game and makes the game easier on his teammates.”

With Mason Harrell being from the state of Oklahoma, Johnson always made it a point to schedule at least a road game up to the state.

When the opportunity to play the University of Science and Arts came up with Mason Harrell coming back and Jaden just beginning his collegiate career, Johnson took the swing.

“We struggled to find games in Oklahoma,” Johnson said. “We tried scheduling the Sooners and tried to scheduling Oklahoma State in the last few years but we couldn’t get the dates to match. I told myself if Mason comes back, we were going to try and schedule his younger brother’s team and bring Oklahoma here. What better time to do it than Christmas where the family can be together.. Coach Bennie [Seltzer] did a good job of scheduling the game and credit to [USAO] because they were supposed to be done on the 17th but they held their guys back just to play this game. It was super important and one that both of them are going to remember for the rest of their lives.”

It was a very emotional moment for Mason when he heard about the game.

“I came to tears actually,” Mason said. “But I was very excited. They told me in June that Texas State was trying to put USAO on the schedule and I couldn’t wait to be in the game with him.”

The same could be said for Jaden.

“I was excited,” Jaden said. “I knew it was going to be a fun game having to guard him. I knew it was going to be tough but it was also going to be fun.”

While the hype around the game between the two was high, the on court action was just as fun.

“There was some chatter on the court,” Jaden Harrell said. “But other than that it was just one on one basketball.”

“We talked a little here and there,” Mason Harrell said. “I gave him a hug before the game and after the game but we were just small talk and joking around with each other but when it got serious, it became serious.”

As the buzzer went off as the two brothers embraced each other on the court, it became a memorable moment for their  mom.

“When they hugged each other at the end of the game, that was the biggest moment for me,” Cary Harrell said.

Though the basketball game was fun, the fact that both Mason and Jaden are both first generation college students means the world to both parents.

“Before the game and all that, to me and their mother it was important that they are first generation student athletes,” Eddie Harrell said. “Mason graduated with a business management degree and Jaden is doing the same. That is the biggest moment for both of us.”

Following the game, Johnson made it clear that basketball isn’t just about producing great basketball players but rather producing great men.

“That’s what we have to remember about basketball,” Johnson said. “It’s so much more than wins and losses and we are only judged on one thing. I’m not complaining about losing a basketball game because I’ve won enough games but we are trying to raise young men and add some flavor to society because it’s so vanilla to be honest. We live in a selfish world so sometimes you have to do things for other people regardless of the outcome. We did this knowing this is a really good team but we did this for Mason. I appreciate [USAO] for doing it for Jaden because they could have been at home so this was special.