High School: Four-year letterwinner at Upson-Lee High School in Thomaston, GA ... Named to All-Region Team both his junior and senior seasons ... Received the squad’s Most Valuable Player Award ... Two-time team captain ... Scored 25 points against both Lamar County and Wilkerson County ... Averaged 13 points, six assists and two rebounds his senior season and helped team to 7th place state ranking in the 4A classification ... Helped lead head coach Tracy Caldwell’s squad to a 16-7 record as a senior and 19-8 record as a junior ... Also lettered in football and was a two-time team captain.

Personal: Born Dontavious Merrell Dawson in Thomaston, GA on May 30, 1984 ... Son of Wimp and Sheryle York ... Nickname: "Donte" ... Majoring in management.

Coach Gibbons says
"Donte has run the show for coach Tracy Caldwell’s Upson-Lee teams for three years. He has the potential to be an outstanding point guard in the Peach Belt Conference."