It was just before the start of his junior year that Shacquille Dawkins got news that no child ever wants to hear.
His father, Wayne, had suddenly died from pneumonia. Instead of preparing for school and a promising basketball season, Dawkins had to face the pain of losing one of his biggest supporters.
“I had 6 a.m. class the first day and was still in shock,” Dawkins said, “When it first happened, I didn’t cry that much and it didn’t hit me until a few weeks later.”
Dawkins’ poise is as much a hallmark of his game as his competitive nature and speed. When he finally broke down, head coach Tray Meeks was there to not just listen but marvel at how tough his point guard truly was.
“It took a while for him to let it out, but he was strong,” Meeks said, “He never wavered in practice, he just got tougher and dealt with it extremely well. I don’t know if I could’ve dealt with it.”
Dawkins, now a senior, not only got tougher, he showed it through the season as he helped Alemany win the Mission League title and reach the semifinals of the CIF Southern California Division III regional playoffs.
VIDEO: Alemany’s Shacquille Dawkins in his own words
He also was named the Mission League’s Most Valuable Player and a first-team Daily News All-Area selection after averaging 18 points, four assists, 3.5 rebounds and three steals.
Few knew that Dawkins played with a heavy burden as he found peace on the court with his will to win and speed that makes him one of the fastest players with the ball in Southern California.
“Basketball was easier than school, because I was just playing and didn’t have to focus that much,” Dawkins said.
This season has been somewhat easier for him as Alemany, which faces Harvard-Westlake on Wednesday, is aiming for a second year in the Southern Section Open Division playoffs. Dawkins’ scoring is down (17 ppg) but his rebounds are up to five per game, no small feat for a 5-foot-9 guard.
He’s also taken on a greater leadership role as one of only three seniors on the team. As a four-year varsity starter, his presence has served a calming force on a guard-heavy team of mostly sophomores and juniors.
“We have a pretty young team, so I just tell everyone to look out for each other no matter what,” Dawkins said.
That attitude has helped, especially for a team not used to rowdy environments in the Mission League or playing tough nonleague opponents like Cantwell-Sacred Heart. It was Dawkins’ late play that helped turn a close game against Chaminade into a win.
“The things that some of these guys might be rattled by playing in the Mission League that doesn’t rattle him,” Meeks said, “That poise helps settled them and that happened against Chaminade.”
Dawkins’ career is full of those moments. Against Crespi last season, he scored the game-winning basket after Alemany erased a double-digit lead on the road.
In the playoffs last year, he hit a game-winning shot against Sonora in the regional quarterfinals. Despite Alemany losing to Cathedral in the semifinals, Dawkins single-handedly kept the Warriors close with 14 points in the fourth quarter to cap a 31-point night.
“He just hates to lose, period,” Meeks said.
Dawkins currently has offers from Pepperdine, Cal State Northridge and Cal State Fullerton, among others. Yet finding a college home the next four years pales to how much he had to grow up in 16 months.
As the youngest of three kids, he has become the man of the house while supporting his mother. He also became more aware of his responsibilities on and off the court as he looked to not waste time.
“I’m still fun and like to joke around, but I want to get my stuff done and just look out for people,” Dawkins said.
Dawkins has also actively kept his father’s memory alive. He wears No. 46 in practice — the age of his dad at his passing — and although he wears No. 10 during games, it is no coincidence that is the sum of those two numbers, four and six.
His Twitter account — @shacdawkins46 — also is a reminder of his father’s presence, someone who always attended his games.
“Everything I do now is for him and to make him proud,” Dawkins said.
It also helped strengthen his bond with Meeks as the two became closer. Meeks gave Dawkins the option of not playing last year, but Dawkins chose to continue on. Basketball may have become the escape, but the greater joy for Meeks was seeing how Dawkins grew from his loss and how it inspired him and others.
“I’m just proud of him for persevering as a young man,” Meeks said, “He’s the epitome of a warrior and he’s an obstacle climber.”
