Former Davies Star Mason Klabo Shines in First Starts at Illinois State
NORMAL, IL (KVRR) – It didn’t take long for former Fargo Davies standout Mason Klabo to make his mark in Normal, Illinois. Ten games into his freshman season, Klabo was thrust into the starting lineup for Illinois State after an injury to the Redbirds’ usual guard — and he delivered.
“Starting at a Division I college basketball team is something that you always dream of,” Klabo said. “I’ve really enjoyed it, trying to take it day by day… do the best with the opportunities given to me. It’s been a really cool, really fun week.”
That week ended with a major honor: Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Week. Klabo averaged 16.5 points per game, shooting a blistering 72% from the field and 58% from three, breakout performances that announced his arrival in the Valley.
The fit has been smooth for the North Dakota native, who credits the environment around him.
“It’s awesome with the teammates I have,” Klabo said. “They’re very unselfish. They play really hard. The coaches get us to play really hard. It’s just a really good system… We’ve been winning a lot of games, and it’s fun. But it’s different than high school basketball. It’s a good difference. It’s hard, and it’s fun to win at this level.”
Illinois State plays its final non-conference game Saturday before shifting into the grind of Missouri Valley play. At 8–2 with seven straight wins, the Redbirds are rolling — and Klabo is doing his part to keep the momentum going.
“Yeah, just take advantage of every opportunity I get,” he said. “It’s hard to play as a freshman, so I don’t take anything for granted. I just do my role… try to help the team win as much as I can. I just can’t take any of these opportunities for granted. It’s such a fun time playing here — playing college — and trying to win as many games as we can.”
Overall this season, Klabo has appeared in all 10 games. He has averaged 6.1 PPG, 1.2 APG and 1.8 RPG.
