The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Brush coach assists with Cavs, U.S. junior team
Brush boys basketball coach Chet Mason has been very busy the past few weeks.
Mason began August as a part of the Cavaliers’ pre-summer league workouts.
“When we got there, (Coach J.B.) Bickerstaff said you guys are here with us and you’re a part of us,” Mason said. “He gave us the responsibilities as Cavaliers coaches with running drills with the guys, individual skill work, and giving ideas as coaches for the players.”
Mason was familiar with some of the players, as he had been a coach for them with his time assisting the junior USA Basketball team at camps, and the Nike Academy. He described it as a blessing to be among the few selected to be a part of the coaches that were invited to assist with the members of the Cavaliers.
“I have history down there having played for the Cavs for a bit and knowing some of the personnel for years,” Mason said. “It was new to get to be at the facilities and do different things there. Having worked with those guys before, it wasn’t necessarily new, since I was familiar with what they can do.”
But Mason’s month didn’t stop there.
He then went to Houston to assist with the junior national team, along with longtime St. Edward coach Eric Flannery.
Flannery has been helping with the junior national team and was named as an assistant for the 2021 16-and-under team, marking his 14th different coaching assignment for USA Basketball. Flannery has helped the St. Edward team become nationally recognized and has been assisting Mason in doing the same with Brush.
“There’s not a lot of coaches in our state that are able to represent their community and program nationally,” Mason said. “Flannery has been teaching me those ropes and now I’m able to do it. Brush High School isn’t just Brush in South Euclid, Lyndhurst. Brush is being recognized, and it’s helping me see that goal of having Brush in the national spotlight to fruition.”
Mason assisted with the camp last year that included players such as Evan Mobley and Jalen Green. This year featured players such as Nassair Cunningham and Isaiah Elohim, who are both top-five recruits from the class of 2024 according to ESPN.
“Last year we saw a lot of guys that went in the first round and are making impacts in the summer league,” Mason said. “When you’re a high school coach, you have players that are good and get known locally. But when you get to see those players that get national recognition, it lets you know how high of a level it can be at the high school level and that in turn can help your own players.”
When asked about how he thinks his ventures with the NBA and some of the top national high school players helps locally, Mason knows it will.
“It helps a lot,” Mason said.
“I always take mental notes of things that can help our program, or an individual player on the team. We do drills that guys at those high levels do. You get to see some of the drills that these players that have reached the top and can then bring them to their practices to help your own players.”