EMMET RIORDANtalks to 17-year-old Andrew Dawson, who is a player you can rely on when the going gets tough
TRAILING BY 11 points with just two minutes left on the clock last Saturday night, Limerick Lions’ SuperLeague season looked like it was stuttering to a halt.
But just as their supporters at the UL Arena were making plans for the rest of the evening, things took an exciting turn as the home side started to eat into the Belfast Star’s lead. Knowing they had to go for broke, the Lions players started to find their range, with Neil Campbell hitting four three-pointers, while Scott Kinevane slotted home two more.
Andrew Dawson had been sprung from the bench in the closing stages, the 17-year-old doing his job of opening up space for his team-mates with his work off the ball.
Despite their scoring spree, the home side still trailed by a point as the clock showed two seconds, just as Dawson received his first pass of the night.
With no time left to off-load and with his marker bearing down on him, Dawson let fly with a final effort to save his side’s season. He nailed it.
Cue pandemonium
“I was speechless, I just stood there and the whole team came running out. By the time I knew about it I was on the ground with about 10 players on top of me,” said Dawson.
“I was thinking after the game ‘what if I had missed’ but luckily I didn’t. I really enjoyed it, we had a great night after,” added the CBS Sexton Street pupil.
He first took up the game when he came to the school, with a promising soccer career soon taking a back seat.
“I used to play soccer before I started playing basketball. I wasn’t too bad, I was a defender, the big tall guy at the back. I made an under-16 Irish basketball team when I was in second year so the soccer had to go as I couldn’t really train for both,” added Dawson.
The attractions of the court grew on Dawson quickly and he turned out for his school as well as club side Limerick Lakers, where he is coached by SuperLeague team-mate Campbell.
“I love the intensity about it, you play offence and defence, not just one position. I love the speed of the game,” he admitted.
Campbell has taken a keen interest in Dawson’s development at the Lakers and was not surprised when he stepped up to the mark on Saturday night.
“Andrew was always a bright talent, he just needed to get to the next level. He’s been playing with the senior men’s team a bit, so he’s come along very well.
“At his age he’s only getting minutes at the end of games, but he always seems to come on and hit a three-pointer for some reason,” remarked Campbell.
Their 84-82 victory kept Lions’ hopes alive of claiming the final play-off spot from the Southern Conference and they now face a winner-takes-all game against Hoops in Tallaght on Sunday. The win also saw the end of reigning champions Abrakebabra Tigers’ hopes of retaining the title.
Presently in fifth year, Dawson is hoping to get more game time at SuperLeague level with the Lions, but has yet to decide where he would like to go with his basketball after he finishes secondary school.
The idea of a scholarship to an American college excites him, while UL also have a strong basketball programme, where Campbell coaches the men’s senior team. At the moment, though, it’s plenty of practice while also working hard on the academic side of things.
“I try to get the balance right, I got all higher honours in the junior cert and for the Leaving I’m doing all the business subjects,” said Dawson “Hopefully next season I can push for more minutes in the SuperLeague. There are also sports scholarships in UL, but if a chance came along to go to America I’d love it, it’s a big dream.”
