Women's Basketball Adds Jaidynn Mason to Recruiting Class
07/01/2022 | 4:15:00 | Women's Basketball
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois University women's basketball coach Kelly Bond-White announced on Friday that the program has added guard Jaidynn Mason.
A native of Blue Springs, Mo., Mason led Blue Springs South High School to the school's first Missouri final four appearance this past March.
"We just got a whole lot quicker on the perimeter," Bond-White said. "I first fell in love with Jaidynn's quick hands and ability to read ball handlers. She enjoys the defensive end of the court and wants to compete there. She can be yet another menace to ball handlers as Que [Love] was last year."
"I loved the coaching staff; they made me feel welcome and were all so nice," Mason said. "Once I stepped foot on campus, it felt like home."
Mason averaged 19 points per game during the Missouri state final four, and finished her Blue Springs South career with over 1,000 points scored. Mason showed her versatility during her senior season, as she averaged 15.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 3.3 assists per game. She also holds the Blue Springs South career steals record.
"Another three level scorer, she can keep opponents off balance with her ability to get downhill or stick the three," Bond-White said. "Most importantly, she's a selfless winner! Her first thought is to make her teammates better, but shes got the bounce to get in the lane and create. Helping lead her squad, Blue Springs South High School, to their first ever State Final Four was impressive, along with 18 points and several steals against the eventual state runner up. Jadiynn has a bright future here in Salukiville."
Mason is the first incoming freshman to join a recruiting class that has already added multiple veteran playmakers.
"I loved watching how our entire staff interacted on different levels and connected with Jaidynn," Bond-White said. "Our youngest staffer, Jordan Alford, through her connections first brought Jaidynn to our attention. Then with it being an even smaller world, Jaidynn's named popped up in an old text message of mine. I met a coach and his daughter a couple years ago that was visiting a close friend of ours. Coach Luis Radford that lives in Missouri told me about an young sophomore I better keep an eye on. That sophomore was Jaidynn!"
"I'm very excited; it's honestly like a dream come true," Mason said. "I've always wanted to play at the D1 level and now I can make my dream a reality."
A native of Blue Springs, Mo., Mason led Blue Springs South High School to the school's first Missouri final four appearance this past March.
"We just got a whole lot quicker on the perimeter," Bond-White said. "I first fell in love with Jaidynn's quick hands and ability to read ball handlers. She enjoys the defensive end of the court and wants to compete there. She can be yet another menace to ball handlers as Que [Love] was last year."
"I loved the coaching staff; they made me feel welcome and were all so nice," Mason said. "Once I stepped foot on campus, it felt like home."
Mason averaged 19 points per game during the Missouri state final four, and finished her Blue Springs South career with over 1,000 points scored. Mason showed her versatility during her senior season, as she averaged 15.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 3.3 assists per game. She also holds the Blue Springs South career steals record.
"Another three level scorer, she can keep opponents off balance with her ability to get downhill or stick the three," Bond-White said. "Most importantly, she's a selfless winner! Her first thought is to make her teammates better, but shes got the bounce to get in the lane and create. Helping lead her squad, Blue Springs South High School, to their first ever State Final Four was impressive, along with 18 points and several steals against the eventual state runner up. Jadiynn has a bright future here in Salukiville."
Mason is the first incoming freshman to join a recruiting class that has already added multiple veteran playmakers.
"I loved watching how our entire staff interacted on different levels and connected with Jaidynn," Bond-White said. "Our youngest staffer, Jordan Alford, through her connections first brought Jaidynn to our attention. Then with it being an even smaller world, Jaidynn's named popped up in an old text message of mine. I met a coach and his daughter a couple years ago that was visiting a close friend of ours. Coach Luis Radford that lives in Missouri told me about an young sophomore I better keep an eye on. That sophomore was Jaidynn!"
"I'm very excited; it's honestly like a dream come true," Mason said. "I've always wanted to play at the D1 level and now I can make my dream a reality."
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