By Andrew Holman | The Duquesne Duke
Micah Mason is known nationwide as a sharpshooter behind the arc, taking the country by storm during the 2013-14 season leading the entire NCAA in 3-point percentage.
However, though Mason enters his senior season as the second most accurate 3-point shooter in NCAA history at .492, he’s focused on something else – bringing a culture of winning back to the program.
“The main thing I want to do here is win. We haven’t really done that yet,” Mason said. “So obviously [the 3-point percentage record] is something I look forward to maybe beating, but I try not to focus on that because then I wouldn’t be focused on my team.
He has developed in his time at Duquesne from simply a 3-point shooter to now more of a playmaker who has the ability to drastically impact the outcome of the game. Mason has averaged 11.8 points, 3.46 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.0 steals per game. His two most noteworthy statistics are his 3-point shooting percentage (.489) and assist to turnover ratio (3-to-1), in which he ranks near the top in the entire country.
His prolific shooting began in high school when he played for the Highlands Golden Rams in Pittsburgh, and finished his career ranked 12th on the WPIAL all-time scoring list with 2,272 points. Named All-State in both his junior and senior seasons, averaging 33.3 and 28.7 points per game respectively, Mason was the first player in over 30 years to lead the WPIAL in scoring. Mason displayed his incredible shooting abilities in a 64-point performance against a rival team in which he was 7-7 from 3-point range and 17-19 shooting overall.
From Highlands, Mason originally took his talents to Drake University, but later transferred to Duquesne where has enjoyed quite a bit of success and has found that family environment he desired.
“Drake was an awesome school,” Mason said. “I just felt like I wanted to be closer to home.”
Mason acknowledged how much it means to him to have his family at all of his games rooting him on and the rewarding experience of playing near his hometown of Natrona Heights.
One of those family members rooting him on is his father, whom Mason considers the most influential person in his success.
“He put a basketball in my hand at a young age and then I fell in love with the game myself, but he has always been there. He is my mentor and he has helped with my shot and every part of my game.”
His father encouraged him from a young age to always set goals for himself, and he took those words of advice to heart. Mason has been setting goals all his life, and one by one they are coming to fruition.
Speaking of goals, Mason has some big ones for Duquesne basketball this upcoming season.
“We really just want to be in the run to be at the top of the A-10 and make the NCAA tournament and that’s what we’re working for.”
