Pistons' John Mason To Call "131 Showdown"

Big Rapids, Mich. - One of Michigan's most familiar voices will call the action when the Ferris State University men's and women's basketball programs invade Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena to face rival Grand Valley State in the "131 Showdown" presented by Amway on Jan. 29.

It was announced today that John Mason, the legendary Detroit Pistons' public address announcer, will work the mic for the "131 Showdown".

Commonly known as Mason, he has worked as the public address announcer for the Detroit Pistons for the past 10 years. Mason has helped shape the Palace of Auburn Hills into one of the toughest places for opposing teams to play in. His signature call "Deee-troit Basket-ball" has helped make him a celebrity to Piston fans. Additionally, Mason also works as a radio morning show host for 107.5 WGPR in Detroit.

"Mason brings a lot of energy to public address announcing, and we hope that he will help create an exciting atmosphere for the 131 Showdown," said Tim Selgo, Grand Valley State's Athletic Director. "We feel that Mason has changed the role of the stadium public address announcer, and his presence is something the fans can get excited about."

The "131 Showdown", presented by Amway, signifies many things, including the close rivalry the two schools share. The name of the showdown comes from the two schools' geographic proximity with the 131 highway connecting Big Rapids (home of FSU) and the Grand Rapids area (home of GVSU). 

"The Drive" is less than an hour as FSU and GVSU are separated by only 67 miles and will make the short drive to downtown Grand Rapids for the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) basketball doubleheader on Saturday, Jan. 29, at Van Andel Arena. The women's game will tipoff at 6 p.m. (ET) followed by the men's game at 8 p.m. (ET).

For more information on the "131 Showdown", please visit the link below:
www.131showdown.com