Demontay Dixon ends recruitment
The quiet, subdued Demontay Dixon (Summit High) continues to make loud actions and decided after a weekend official visit to verbally commit to Illinois State.
“I just told the head coach one-on-one at the end of my visit,” said Demontay Dixon. “He was pumped. He was really excited.”
A long, thin, bouncy big Dixon enjoyed a nice recruiting bump about a year ago. Sadly, Dixon tore his labrum at the start of his junior high school season.
“He tore his labrum at the beginning of the high school season,” said mother Amanda Stringer. “He played the whole high school season with that injury and one AAU tournament (Team Penny). He couldn’t play any more. He couldn’t shoot consistently. He decided to go ahead and have the surgery. Risk it.”
According to Mrs. Stringer surgery was a big risk, more the timing than the procedure itself. Demontay was weeks into the final AAU season. Both mother and son were fully aware that the last AAU season is typically the most instrumental in attracting college offers.
Prior to April 2017, Demontay Dixon had Tennessee Tech and East Tennessee State offers.
“We wanted to go ahead and get it out of the way,” said Dixon of the labrum surgery. “I didn’t want to be on the circuit and then play like garbage.”
Realizing that surgery might limit or even erase his college choices Dixon had a gameplan.
“I was just going to go to ETSU,” said Dixon. “That was a good option. Then Coach (Brian ‘Penny’) Collins went to Illinois State. So that is how they found out about me.”
Assistant coaches typically do most of the recruiting, but rarely is a link from one player to two schools so sharply defined by one coach. When Coach Collins was hired by Illinois State earlier this month of August, then Demontay’s recruitment took a sharp turn toward the Midwest.
Like Demontay Dixon, Brian Collins grew up in Nashville. Coach Collins played and graduated from Belmont and then earned his Masters in Sport Administration from Tennessee State (’09).
Why did Coach Collins seem like a good coach for Demontay to follow to Illinois State?
“Just the relationship we built up,” said Dixon. “Knowing him and knowing that he is a good guy.”
Like Demontay, Mrs. Stringer enjoyed the sincerity and experience of the entire Illinois State staff.
“They have a strong, tight-knit relationship with each other,” said Mrs. Stringer. “That felt good with Demontay and me. They have a great staff of coaches. It goes beyond the head coach. All of the coaches have a real respectable background.”
She noticed that the coaching staff, and Coach Collins in particular stuck with Dixon the whole way. Their interest wasn’t predicated on other player’s decisions. They weren’t waiting to see who else they could get. The Illinois State Redbirds wanted Demontay and their actions reflected that sentiment.
Redbird Roster
Demontay Dixon intends to sign in November and become the entire Class of 2018 Illinois State recruiting class.
Just days ago Chris Payton verbally committed to Illinois State, becoming the first Redbird member of the Class of 2019.
officially committed to Illinois State University ‼️
— Demontay Dixon (@montaydixon20) August 27, 2017
Dixon gives Illinois State a wonderfully athletic forward willing to learn and develop under great coaching. He is soft-spoken and rarely celebrates outwardly.
“We held him back in the eighth grade because he was so young (Sept. bday) in his class,” said Mrs. Stringer. “We held him back in the eighth grade and he repeated. That has really changed his personality. He is more outgoing. He is more confident with a group of kids his age.”
The increased confidence really helped his game. When he was a young teenager Dixon appeared timid and uncomfortable with contact. This happens a lot with young bigs as they grow into their bodies. Dixon really became a different player about two years ago and apparently stopped concerning himself with defenders.
Last winter Dixon began dunking ferociously on people’e heads. Despite playing with an injury the electric forward began dominating where he once fit in. The emboldened Dixon deservedly earned attention from college recruiters.
“He has always been shy, soft-spoken,” said Mrs. Stringer. “He is really changing down on the court. He still doesn’t show it. They really compare him to Tim Duncan. He gets it done on the court and doesn’t show emotion. He still gets it done. He has his own style for sure.”
Dixon and his mother picked Illinois State over Murray State. The Racers offered last week, but Dixon was already eagerly anticipating his first and only official visit…to Illinois State.
“We just really felt it was a good fit for him and where he is at with his basketball,” said Mrs. Stringer. “It is not as close to home as we would like, but I think he will feel at home.”
Demontay Dixon is about two months away from returning to full contact basketball. The risky surgery paid off and he has a college home to share his skills with going forward.