Mason McGuire grew up playing basketball for John Mosco.
He also learned a lot from him.
McGuire, a Northeast Philly native, spent many summer days learning from Mosco, the Archbishop Wood High School basketball coach, during his annual hoops camp.
McGuire, who attended New Foundations Charter for grade school, was earmarked to continue on that journey in high school until he visited Wood.
That changed everything.
“I always wanted to go to Wood, but after I got my footage, I was asked to come and visit,” McGuire said. “I had always been around the school, but I always wanted to play for Coach Mosco, so that convinced me. I knew him going to his basketball camp, and his sons would hang out with my brothers when I was a little kid. I was always around his kids, they’re older, they’re like 20, 25. I would go to parks and play, but when they played games, I would sit next to him and watch the older guys play.”
McGuire is still sitting next to Mosco, and he’s still learning from the successful basketball coach. He ended up going to Wood, and it didn’t take him long to get up to speed with the Vikings basketball program.
After getting a late start to his freshman year, McGuire, a 6-foot-6 athlete who can line up just about anywhere, mostly saw time on the Vikings junior varsity team as he was getting acclimated to play in the Catholic League.
Wood is always one of the top teams in the PCL, so jumping in midseason can be trying. He didn’t get much varsity time, but he did learn a whole lot from the group that was there and he’s hoping that can pay off sophomore year.
In fact, it already is.
McGuire is seemingly on the court every day, playing pickup ball, working out with his Wood teammates or playing AAU, so he’s certainly getting in all the work he needs to be successful.
He also has the guidance, which has made a huge difference.
“Summer league is going pretty good, we finished Mayfair and we’re playing another one up in Bensalem,” said McGuire, who grew up playing at Ramp Playground across the street from Judge. “We played a tournament yesterday. We played a lot of games. We play a lot of tough teams. I love it. I love getting in those types of games. We talk about it in practice, I just go out and go with the gameplan.
“This year, I feel like I can get in more games. I’ve been told what I need to do, and I’ve been doing it. I’ve been playing a lot with the summer league, so I know exactly what’s expected of me.”
That answer is easy: everything.
McGuire enjoys playing for the Vikings because the team fits well with his strengths. That strength is McGuire does everything well, and no matter where he ends up on the floor, he’s able to do the job.
Versatility is his superpower.
“I love playing at Wood because it’s really positionless basketball the way we play,” said McGuire, who at his frame can give smaller guards fits with his size and fellow big men with his speed. “I always like playing small forward because you have to do a little bit of everything and I’m usually bigger and faster than those guys. But I’ll play anywhere. I can defend any position.
“At Wood, we have a big guy, so he plays center, then everyone else does everything. It’s a great way to play. I love the way we play.”
McGuire gets plenty of support both with his athletics and academics at Wood, but he’s lucky to have a great support system at home.
That starts with his parents.
“My dad took me to the park and played basketball with me,” said McGuire, who also played volleyball, but considers himself a basketball player first. “He played hockey, but I think he played a little bit of all sports. He goes to a lot of my games, My mom does a lot, too. She goes to the games all the time when she can. They take me everywhere.”
He also has a strong bond with his siblings, including his twin sister Marissa, whom he split with for high school. She stayed at New Foundations.
He also has two older brothers he’s very close with.
“They’ve helped me a lot,” McGuire said of his older brothers Matt, 23, and Mike, 24. “When I started playing in the little kid tournaments, they would coach me on the sidelines, tell me what to do. They did in practice, too. Mike went to Judge and Matt went to Judge. They played basketball, I’d go but I didn’t pay attention. They were good, though.
“My sister, we’re the same age because we’re twins. We’re getting closer and closer by the years. She used to play basketball but she stopped after eighth grade. But we’re close, too.”
McGuire is proud to have such a loving family and he believes this winter, he’ll give them all something to cheer about.
“We should be good,” McGuire said. “We have a great team. We were good last year. I think we’ll be good. We’re playing a lot together in the summer. That will help.” ••
