Recruiting Report: Dawson Paulsen (2019)
Six-foot-3 wing Dawson Paulsen of Rapid City Stevens was a key piece to the Raiders having a fantastic winter and a long list of college programs are in contact.
“I have been in contact with the following schools: Briar Cliff, Morningside, Mount Marty, Jamestown, Dakota State, Dominican University, Bethany Lutheran, Western State, Gillette, and Queen’s University,” Dawson said.
This is after Paulsen was the second leading scorer for Stevens who went 19-4 this year earning third place in state.
“My high school basketball season at Stevens High School went great,” Paulsen explained. “We were underrated at the start of the season and for much of the year, but we proved a lot of people wrong by going into State ranked #1.
“We ended the year with a disappointing third place finish, but I would still consider it as a very successful season even though we did not attain our ultimate goal. I think that I improved a lot defensively as the season went on and gained more consistency with my shot.
“With this being my first year starting varsity and being the only Junior starting I felt that I meshed well with this years Senior squad.”
Paulsen has moved on to the 17u season with the South Dakota Phenom and after two events Dawson has been fantastic. Paulsen has scored 12.6 points per game and is shooting a very impressive 44 percent at the arc.
“We are having a blast, I really enjoy playing with these guys,” Paulsen said. “This is a very unselfish team that is all about team play and we are really coming together well. Even though we are only two tournaments into the season we have shown that we are strong competitors by making it deep into the tournaments that we have competed in and having a couple of top finishes.
“I am really looking forward to the rest of our summer season and seeing all that we can accomplish together as a team. We are playing hard as a team and having a lot of fun doing it and that is what basketball is all about.”
Paulsen and the Venom will be playing in Omaha in two weekends followed by events in June (Sioux Falls and Ames) and in July (Sioux Falls and Kansas).
“I think that we all want to become better basketball players and with that being said I think we should be on pace to go deep in our future tournaments with the ultimate goal of competing at a high level and possibly winning some of those.
“It seems like my teammates all have similar goals for this summer, it really shows when we come together at practice and in games. We all want to see the South Dakota Venom become one of the top AAU programs in this region.”
Dawson is looking at a senior year with expectations as a leader and an all around player so playing with the Venom is something he’s also using to prepare for the 18-19 run.
“Right now I am working on improving my all around game by adding more driving and making my three-point shot even more consistent,” Paulsen said. “Defense is also another aspect of my game that I have been working on, I did get a personal trainer this summer and we are working on my foot speed and quickness.
“With my Senior year coming up I feel like there is always something that I can improve on, every day is another opportunity to work harder and get better. I am excited for the challenges and the opportunities that my Senior year at Stevens will present me with.”