Legendary lineage at Niagara

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB.com) - Antoine Mason and TJ Cline are both underclassman on Niagara's basketball team but that's not all they have in common. Both players are the children of former professional basketball players. Mason's father, Anthony Mason, played in the NBA for 15 years and Cline's mother, Nancy Lieberman, is a hall-of-fame basketball player, who  played in the Olympics as well as the WNBA.

Lieberman and Anthony Mason have positively influenced their children's athletic career's by inspiring them as well as teaching them some of the tricks of the trade.

"Really any role she has felt that I had a weakness in she has tried to develop it, whether it be ball handling, defense, seeing the court," Cline explained.

Coaches at Niagara have noticed a greater depth of basketball knowledge in both players.

"They both have exceptional basketball IQ's," head coach Joe Mihalich said.

Antoine and TJ both have high expectations for their basketball careers. However, rather than follow in their famous parents' footsteps, they are making their own name and paving their own path, using their parents as a guide on their journey.