CLEVELAND — This weekend in Houston, Texas, in conjunction with the NCAA Men's Final Four, 62 of the country's best high school basketball players will compete in a USA Basketball Junior National Team minicamp. Among the coaches, a local leader, and among the players, a local standout.
Brush high school basketball head coach Chet Mason has been involved with USA Basketball for the past few years. Mason started as a court coach, joining up to 14 other coaches leading the young group of elite athletes.
Over the years, Mason has gotten to work with some remarkable talent.
"I done worked with so many—Evan Mobley, all these NBA guys. Scottie Barnes and Jalen Green, Cade Cunningham—I had all these guys at USA Basketball," Mason said. "80% of the guys that's born in the United States played USA Basketball that's in the NBA—it's different."
A quick ascension over the past four years, Mason has gone from court coach to his new role this year as an assistant coach for the National U16 Team. He'll join one other assistant, Scott Fitch of New York, to work with the team's head coach Sharman White.
Mason acknowledges his hard work and dedication to move up the ranks, but also gives credit for his opportunity to another local coach who helped pave the way for him—St. Eds basketball coach Eric Flannery.
"You're talking about the highest of the highest level of amateur basketball with USA Basketball. So it's been a grind, I had to put in work. I had to study because USA basketball is the standard," Mason said. "Shout out to Eric Flannery because Eric Flannery has been doing this, what I'm doing now, he helped me along and pulled me along the way because he felt like, 'okay, Chet got something in him, Chet's a good dude.'"
Flannery coached with USA Basketball and is now, in a way, passing the torch to Mason.
To have the honor of coaching at the level is something Mason—who had a solid basketball career and even had a stint in the NBA where at one point he was on the Cleveland Cavaliers roster—doesn't take for granted.
"Inner city kid, born in Cleveland, Cleveland school K through 12—to be on this platform, it's like, 'wow, who would imagine?" Chet mused. "I played and I dressed and got into NBA games before. But this, coaching at this level, is just something different."
While Mason represents Northeast Ohio on the coaching staff, the area will also be represented by several players.
On the invite list, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy guard Darryn Peterson, Cleveland native and Word of God forward Jayden Quaintance, and Garfield Heights guard Marcus Johsnon.
The three Northeast Ohio players join a list of 59 other star players from around the nation, and while Mason is excited to coach them all, there's a special connection with Marcus.
"Uncle Chet, yeah I call him that," Marcus said. "Having an uncle coaching you at USA Basketball is great. So I'm very excited about that."
Mason has known Marcus for his entire life. He even held him in his arms as a baby.
"Me and his uncle are best friends. We grew up together and we actually lived together. We went to Miami University together," Mason said. "I've been with [Marcus] since he was a baby, a little baby, I was holding him. So now he's out here. about to play in front of the basketball world."
Marcus earned his spot on USA Basketball's minicamp invite list after becoming a standout in the state. In his freshman year, Marcus earned All-Ohio first team honors. He's currently the No. 2 ranked prospect in Ohio's class of 2026.
This opportunity for Marcus is something he plans to use to boost his game and take even more strides in his early but already impressive high school career.
"I want to get better. I want to learn and I want to grow. I want to go against top players in the country which is going to be there this week. So that's what I want to do to—compete," Marcus said.
Marcus and Mason will get to work together with USA Basketball from March 31-April 2. Marcus will aim to make the National Team starting with this minicamp, but even if he doesn't make the final roster, this is a major step for him and a lesson Mason believes will be invaluable.
"Marcus is about to be able to, first of all, compete against the best of the best and get that experience of playing at the highest level with all the NBA eyes on you," Mason said. "Even if you don't make the team, the experience alone is—you can't really duplicate it."
And on a larger scale, thinking of all of the local players headed to Houston for the opportunity, Mason is excited to let Northeast Ohio be showcased for the undeniable basketball talent that exists right here in our own backyard.
"The basketball coaching and the basketball talent is second to none in Ohio and we prove it every year," Mason said. "Being able to represent your state, your city, where you're from, it's amazing."
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