Playing basketball is not new to Newport’s Sahaylee Mason. But, playing basketball in another country will be.
Sahaylee was selected to play for Team USA u19 West Women’s Basketball Team at the United World Games hosted in Klagenfurt, Austria June 20-23.
“I’m kind of nervous and really excited,” Sahaylee said. “I’m excited to hear about how they play as a team.”
Sahaylee, who recently wrapped up her sophomore year at Newport High School, played guard for the Cubs varsity basketball team this past season.
“Sometimes I would get to start and made the most out of my minutes,” she said. She estimates that during her 9-10 minutes of playing time per game, she’d average 10 points. Her accurate shooting and left-handedness earned her a family nickname of “Logo Lefty.”
Sahaylee maintains a recruiting profile on YouTube that was discovered by Coach Lorie Khalil from Penn State Lehigh Valley. Coach Khalil nominated Sahaylee for the West Women’s Basketball Team.
“I was interviewed said that I wanted to go and see other cultures,” Sahaylee said.
Sahaylee was selected out of 59 student athletes for the team. She joins a roster of 10 with girls from Arizona, Texas, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Montana, Colorado, and California. The team will be coached by Russell Sage College Head Women’s Basketball Coach Allison Coleman.
Mason will travel, along with her father Justin Mason, to Europe for a 10-day tour.
“They’ll spend a day in Germany to play an exhibition team and then drive to Salzburg for another exhibition game,” Justin said.
Once at the United World Games, the West Women’s Basketball Team will play five games against teams from other countries.
“[It] will be very similar to the Olympics, minus the torch,” Justin said. “She will walk with 8,000 fellow student athletes behind their respective country’s flag in front of 15,000 people at the opening ceremonies.”
The community contributed financially towards Sahaylee’s trip through several fundraisers.
“We’re just so grateful for all the support,” Justin said. “The entire Lincoln County community has rallied behind her and without all of you none of this would be possible.”
Outside of basketball, Sahaylee is an enrolled tribal member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. She represented her tribe as a flag bearer at the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials in Eugene in 2021. In her spare time, she enjoys going to pow-wows, beading, and hanging out with friends and family.
“She’s such a good kid,” Justin said. “The [United Word Games team] process isn’t just based on your skill, but also community involvement and grades.”
As for Sahaylee, her basketball dreams don’t stop with the trip.
“My dream is to play basketball at Oregon State,” Sahaylee said. “I have wanted to go there forever. It’s a nice campus and close to home. I also want to be an orthodontist.”
For schedules and results of the United World Games, visit unitedworldgames.com/en/.
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