About halfway through his junior season, Mason Post decided he’d had enough.
It was his first time on Illiana Christian’s varsity team, but the 6-foot-4 forward was not enjoying his view from the bench.
“I decided I wanted to step up this year,” he said. “So I started shooting around outside and got in the gym a little bit more. And now we’re here.”
For Post, “here” means not only a spot in the Vikings’ starting lineup. His improved perimeter game was on full display Monday night, when he scored a career-high 16 points in Illiana’s 70-60 nonconference win at home against Andrean.
Senior guard Luke Van Essen led the Vikings (7-2) with 22 points. Post made 7 of 9 shots, raising his shooting percentage to 48.7%.
“My shots are falling at a good rate right now,” Post said. “It’s better than it’s ever been.”
Post’s journey from the bench to the starting five began where his basketball career started: his family’s driveway. He said he spent hours working on his perimeter shooting, believing that would be his ticket to more playing time. His father, Kevin, was usually the one grabbing rebounds and making the pass to set up the next shot.
“It went on for hours,” Post said. “Even if it was really hot and really humid, we’d still be out there in the driveway.”
After combining those shooting sessions with routine trips to the gym to improve his strength and conditioning, Post said there was an immediate difference at tryouts ahead of this season.
“I noticed that I was competing at a higher level against some people who’d been better than me,” he said. “It was still a challenge, but it was coming easier for me.”
Post’s outside shots started falling more often, too, and his teammates — including senior guard Zeke Van Essen — took notice.
“Not only his shot, but his confidence overall,” Van Essen said. “Last year he might have been a little more timid. Even when he had layups near the basket, he’d kick it out. But this year he’s gained more trust in himself, and he can knock down the midrange or even threes too.”
Against Andrean (1-8), Post frequently set up near the baseline for open looks, saying that “most definitely” was one of his primary areas of focus during all those summer workouts. Illiana coach Tom Roozeboom said Post has consistently been hitting those shots whenever he’s on the court.
“He knocks them down in practice, and he knocks them down in games,” Roozeboom said. “I’m just very happy for him to be able to come into a game when we really needed him. He’s put in a ton of time.”
Post’s emergence has also helped Illiana continue its winning ways after losing junior forward Andy Spoelman to a hip injury after the season opener. Roozeboom said he was “hopeful” that Spoelman could return before the season ends but believes Post is capable of more performances like the one he had against Andrean.
“If he can just believe in himself, that’s the type of thing he can do for us,” Roozeboom said.
The work’s not done for Post. Despite all the progress he made, he knows there are more skills to improve, more steps he can take to help the Vikings.
“I’m just happy that my work’s paying off,” he said. “But I’m going to keep working, keep trying to be the best player that I can be.”
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
