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Mike Leslie believed Antoine Mason would one day return to the Halifax Hurricanes.

“We often joked about it,” the Hurricanes head coach said of Mason, a popular shooting guard who played two seasons in Halifax (2016-18).

“I told him I always kept his file in my active player file drawer in spite of the fact he wasn’t with us. I knew, depending on where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do, that there would be a possibility he’d return.”

The possibility became reality earlier this month when the National Basketball League of Canada squad re-signed the 27-year-old, who spent a part of last season playing in China.

He’s the third former Hurricane to return to Halifax after a season away, joining power forward CJ Washington – who sat out last season to recover from knee surgery – and three-point specialist Ta’Quan Zimmerman, who played half of last season with the Cape Breton Highlanders.

“Familiarity with the team,” Mason responded when asked why he came back.

“We have a brotherhood and seeing them is always great. Playing with them for two years, you know what they like to do. You see their progression and we all have the same mindset. We just want to win and we all want to get better and we’re willing to push each other. That’s the focus you need to have to be great in this league.

“But we have some unfinished business.”

The Hurricanes came achingly close to capturing an NBL Canada banner in each of Mason’s two seasons only to fall just short.

Mason, who first came to Halifax just after Christmas during the 2016-17 campaign, helped lead the Hurricanes to the ’17 championship final against London. They lost in six games to the Lightning.

The following season, Mason finished second overall in the NBL Canada in total points scored, averaging 20.3 points per game. The Hurricanes reached the final again but dropped a seven-game heartbreaker to London.

“We want to bring a (championship) back to Halifax,” Mason said. “We want to correct our mistakes during the two seasons I was there. We were right there at the end in the finals those two years. We want to get it right this time.”

Mere weeks following the 2018 final, Mason signed a contract with Fujian Lightning of the Chinese national basketball league.

“It was a great experience,” Mason said of his time in the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian, located about halfway between Shanghai and Hong Kong. “It’s something you talk about when you're a little kid, to travel to different countries like China.

“Just to have that experience is pretty cool. I’ve always been interested in Asian culture. So to get to experience that was life-changing. Some things I got tired of pretty quick – like the food – but everything else was pretty cool.”

But for the Queen, N.Y., native, he always felt more at home in Halifax.

The six-foot-one guard with the dogged determination was a fan favourite during his first go-around with the Hurricanes. His relentlessness was reminiscent of his late father. Anthony Mason forged a reputation as one of the best rebounders and grittiest defenders during a 13-year NBA career, including six with the New York Knicks where he won the NBA’s sixth man of the year in 1994.

“Halifax has always felt like family,” Mason said. “I have a lot of love for the city and for the team. I stayed in touch and watched them online. To get that chance to play for them again, I can’t wait to see how I do this season.”

Mason said he dropped 15 pounds over the summer to get into game shape.

“I’ve made sure my body is right,” he said. “I’ve added more to my game. I’m excited to see how the work I put in during the summer will show during the season.”

The Hurricanes will open their 2019-20 regular season on Dec. 28 when they visit the Island Storm. Their first home game is the following afternoon versus the St. John's Edge.

Leslie said the return of Mason, Washington and Zimmerman has been a welcome sight at Hurricanes training camp

“They are just quality guys,” Leslie said following Wednesday morning practice at the Zatzman Sportsplex in Dartmouth. “It was nice to have them to reach out and want to possibly return.

“They are very good guys and they’re also good basketball players that have had some success here.”

With veteran Cliff Clinkscales and talented guard Joel Kindred back from last season’s team, it’s made for a competitive camp and some difficult decisions ahead for Leslie as he pares his roster down to 12.

“There’s a lot of talent in training camp,” Mason said. “A lot of guys are showing flashes of brilliance. It’s going to be tough for coach to narrow it down to the 12 players.

“With the talent that we have here, I can go to sleep calm and peaceful knowing that anyone could make the roster on opening day.”

Note: The Hurricanes will play a blue versus white intrasquad game on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Zatzman Sportsplex.

