Positive Impact
ALTOONA — Mason Bush has not disappointed after his recent addition to the Penn State Altoona men's basketball team's starting lineup.
The junior forward, a 2020 Seneca Valley graduate, tallied 14 points in his first game with the squad's top five, an 81-75 win over Albion Dec. 9. Since then, he's posted efforts of 29, 23 and 16 points twice and is averaging 16.8 points per game over the last seven contests.
"He's handled the starting role very well," said Lions' coach David McGreal. "He's still a good teammate and is a catalyst within our fast-paced style.
"We figured he'd be a starter from the start of the season, but he was injured near the end of the preseason."
Bush suffered a dislocated right shoulder and though it resulted in some internal damage, he never actually missed a game. He averaged nearly 20 minutes and seven points per game as a reserve in the first seven contests of the season.
"I decided to play through the injury, but didn't want to use it as an excuse," Bush said. "During a recent game, I dove into the bench after a ball and felt a bit of pain, but in general, I really don't notice it during games.
"Whatever needs to be done with my shoulder, I plan on getting it taken care of after the season."
Bush's freshman season was the 2020-21 campaign, which was abbreviated due to precautions taken during the COVID pandemic. He made the most of his opportunities off the bench last year, averaging 9.3 points to help the Lions finish with an overall record of 19-8.
"From January on last year, he was one of our top scorers, was our best 3-point shooter over the last 12 games," added McGreal.
"Last year was a season of learning for me," Bush said. "The speed of the game is something I had to get used to."
The Lions (7-7, 3-1), fresh off a conference victory over Pitt-Bradford on Saturday, are capable of scoring points in bunches. They're averaging just shy of 81 per game overall and 90 in three Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference meetings.
"We're starting to hit our stride," said McGreal. "This is my sixth full year as head coach here and we've finished either first or second in scoring in the conference every season.
"Our offense will take care of itself. We just need to fine tune our defense."
Progression in one area, according to Bush, will greatly aid the Lions on that end of the court.
"Everybody needs to be on the same page," he said. "The more communication we have with each other, the better off we'll be."
Bush, a business administration major, averaged 19 points per game as a senior at Seneca Valley. He does not take lightly the chance to be a top contributor in college.
"Right from the opening tip, I'm focused on what I can do to help the team. My teammates are looking for me now on the court and that feels good.
"My improvement is an example of how much better a player can get from good coaching."
