Joshua “Josh” Dawson has certainly found a family at Fayetteville State University.
As he was announced as the “6-2 freshman point guard from Kinston,” during Tuesday’s starting lineup for the Broncos, the noise from fans in the arena sounded like he was a senior.
But he’s a freshman — a true freshman.
The Kinston basketball standout opened in his first regular-season college game against Virginia University of Lynchburg, and he seemed to be a perfect fit.
I saw Josh as the same leader he was at Kinston High: the play-calling and creating, the great passing and the teammate interaction.
“This is the right place for me,” Dawson told me after the game. “I love my teammates, I love my coaches. They push me to be a better man, and I feel like if I would have gone somewhere else, they wouldn’t have pushed me.”
Josh’s coach, Alphonso Kee,and teammates have gotten to know him pretty well. He said they do everything as a team and after the opener, there was recognition of his leadership and how he’s willing to listen: a perfect formula.
With Tuesday only being the beginning of Dawson’s college basketball career, the sky’s the limit for this young man.
As far as I can tell, he’s headed in the right direction — basketball and otherwise.
“I can grow a lot,” he said. “I came to college to play basketball and I came to college to learn, so that’s what I have to do.”
Basketball, however, was what brought The Free Press to Fayetteville for a night.
Contrary to my displeasure of the all-of-a-sudden arctic weather, I am very content with the change in sports seasons.
It was great to be back on the hardwood — not showing off my I’ll-dunk-on-you skills, but actually covering a game, and I had a blast being able to watch Dawson’s Kinston basketball habits bounce over to the collegiate level.
It was not fun, however, watching several of Josh’s perfect passes go to waste on missed shots, but hey, it was only the first official home game.
The Broncos shot 32 percent in the first half and allowed Virginia-Lynchburg to pull within two points (39-37, FSU) before going on to win, 84-68.
Dawson finished with 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals; that’s not such a bad stat line for a freshman.
Once this team gets the ball rolling, I think Dawson can be extremely successful in his new home.
He’s already making a name for himself, as the first face you see upon entering Felton J. Capel Arena is his (it was on a basketball flyer).
I think the true point guard has accepted and understands his role at FSU.
“I do consider myself a leader, but it’s more than just in a basketball game,” Dawson said. “We get up every morning at 5 a.m. and practice, we’re out running, we’re out doing everything as a team, so as a team, we’re all leaders as one.”
Good for you, Josh Dawson.
Jessika Morgan is the Sports Editor of The Free Press. She can be reached at 252-559-1078 and Jessika.Morgan@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.