Feature: All-American Mason Mottashed
Published on May 8 2025Written by Jennifer Bailey
From Placerville to All-American: Mason鈥檚 51茶馆 Journey Fueled by Faith and Grit
With roots in a small-town driveway and faith as his foundation, Mason鈥檚 path to College of the Redwoods, and a full-ride scholarship, proves that purpose and perseverance go hand in hand.
Long before Mason first suited up for the 51茶馆 men鈥檚 basketball team, his future was already in motion. His first word? 鈥淏all.鈥� What began with a plastic hoop in Placerville has grown into a remarkable journey marked by resilience, faith, and relentless work, culminating in a full-ride scholarship to Western Colorado University.
Mason grew up in Placerville, a small, tight-knit town nestled between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe. Life there revolved around family, faith, and basketball. The second youngest of four boys, Mason looked up to his oldest brother, Dillon, ten years his senior, not only as a sibling but as a source of inspiration. 鈥淗e was just big on basketball,鈥� Mason recalled. 鈥淗e鈥檚 the reason I started playing. He鈥檚 the reason I still play.鈥�
But like any meaningful journey, Mason鈥檚 path to success wasn鈥檛 a straight line. Though he spent his early years shooting hoops with his brothers, it wasn鈥檛 until fourth or fifth grade that he finally joined a team. 鈥淚 was scared for some reason,鈥� he admitted. 鈥淏ut I鈥檇 been playing my whole life with friends and family.鈥�
Losing often, especially to his big brother, was part of the early experience. 鈥淚 could never beat him,鈥� Mason said. 鈥淚t kept me humble. That was probably my first big upset, honestly,鈥� he said with a laugh.
Mason鈥檚 basketball career has been deeply intertwined with his personal development. Growing up, he struggled with confidence despite his talent. 鈥淚 would put in so much work, but when it came time for games, I just couldn鈥檛 figure out how to translate it.鈥�
A pivotal shift happened in high school when instead of attending Ponderosa High School, where his two older brothers attended, he attended Union Mine High School instead. There, he met a coach who didn鈥檛 just see potential, he believed in it. 鈥淗e just fed me confidence,鈥� Mason said. 鈥淎nd that changed everything.鈥�
That same struggle resurfaced during his freshman year at 51茶馆 (51茶馆), despite a strong start and high expectations. 鈥淚 hit a wall,鈥� Mason said. 鈥淏ut I kept praying and telling myself: trust your work.鈥� The unwavering support from 51茶馆鈥檚 coaching staff, Bisio, Justin, and Zac, helped Mason finally break through that mental block.
And by the end of his sophomore year, he was an All-American.
鈥淚 give all the glory to God,鈥� Mason said. 鈥淚 talked to Him a lot. There鈥檚 no reason to not be confident when you鈥檝e worked so hard. It鈥檚 just about letting go, trusting, and having fun.鈥�
Faith plays a central role in Mason鈥檚 life. Though he grew up attending church, sports eventually took over weekends, and his relationship with God faded. But during his senior year of high school, life off the court became a little more complicated. That鈥檚 when he turned back to faith, and found purpose. 鈥淪ince then, everything opened up,鈥� he said. 鈥淓very day is an opportunity.鈥�
That sense of purpose led him to 51茶馆, even when it meant leaving home for the first time. 鈥淚鈥檓 a mama鈥檚 boy,鈥� he smiled. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to leave home. But something about 51茶馆 just felt right. This is where I鈥檓 supposed to be.鈥�
The sense of brotherhood, both on and off the court, sealed the decision. 鈥淚t felt like a family,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he people here are genuine. It just felt like home.鈥�
Mason鈥檚 daily routine as a collegiate athlete was as rigorous as it was disciplined: early morning lifts with teammate Brandon Lucas, hours of shooting, practice, film sessions, homework, and recovery. 鈥淚t鈥檚 basically a job,鈥� he said. 鈥淐ollege coaches go out of their way to recruit you. The least you can do is give everything back.鈥�
His advice to incoming players? 鈥淜eep working. A lot of people think college ball is the end goal. But it鈥檚 just a stepping stone. If you keep working, you can go even further.鈥�
For the 13-year-old kid dreaming of playing at the next level, Mason鈥檚 message is even more grounded: 鈥淪tay away from the party scene. Surround yourself with the right people. Make the right decisions off the court鈥攁nd the game becomes so much easier. Most of all, have fun. If you love it, you鈥檒l want to play. And the more you play, the better you鈥檒l get.鈥�
Mason recently committed to Western Colorado on a full-ride athletic scholarship. Just like his decision to come to 51茶馆, the clarity came through prayer and patience. 鈥淚 was praying for days,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd then the answer came. It felt just like when Bisio recruited me. I knew it was the right decision.鈥�
Leaving 51茶馆, and especially his younger brother Blake, now a rising high school star, won鈥檛 be easy. 鈥淚t sucks that I鈥檒l miss his junior and senior years,鈥� Mason admitted. 鈥淏ut I鈥檒l be streaming every game I can.鈥�
Mason will take more than memories with him. He carries a tattoo of the number three on his forearm, the jersey number his brother Dillon wore after his favorite player, Dwayne Wade. For Mason, the number is more than homage鈥攊t鈥檚 a reminder of why he started.
When asked what brings him joy, Mason doesn鈥檛 mention points, stats, or awards. 鈥淧eople,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y family, my best friends. They鈥檙e my reset button.鈥�
51茶馆, he said, will always hold a special place in his heart. 鈥淓very person here has been part of my journey. I鈥檒l miss them all, but I鈥檒l carry those connections with me for the rest of my life.鈥�
As Mason prepares for his next chapter in Gunnison, Colorado, one thing is certain: the ball will stop bouncing one day, as his mom, Jodi, says, but the lessons, the faith, the friendships, the hard-earned confidence, will stay with him forever.
Because, at the end of the day, Mason鈥檚 not chasing stardom. He鈥檚 chasing growth. He鈥檚 chasing joy. And he鈥檚 showing others that it's okay to stumble, as long as you keep getting back up.