03 Feb 2024 Dawson Burgess – Clinton (501 Basketball Team 2024)

After getting a taste of last year’s Regional tournament, Clinton players hit the weight room in the offseason on a mission to get bigger, faster and stronger on the court.

Ready to put their hard work to the test, senior forward Dawson Burgess leads the charge for the Yellowjackets this season. As Clinton’s sixth man last season, he averaged eight points and five rebounds per game. Head Coach Judson Smith expects those numbers to increase in 2024.

“Dawson got serious about athletics and his body over the summer, working extremely hard in the weight room and taking his diet seriously,” Smith said. “We feel more than confident that he will handle everything we ask him to do. He is a leader who holds himself and his teammates to a high standard.”

For Burgess, his senior season is one more chance to make a deep run beside his teammates.

“I want to be remembered as the guy that could bring energy every time I touched the floor,” he said. “This season, my goals are to be a great leader for the team and to persevere through times of adversity. As a team, we want to make a great run in state. I know we have the skill and athleticism to do it; we just have to maintain our team chemistry and winning mindset.”

Outside of basketball, Burgess runs track and participates in FCA at Clinton High School. After graduation, the senior plans to attend Pulaski Technical College in pursuit of an airframe and powerplant license.