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West De Pere’s Nordgaard begins rise on court

By Greg Bates
Correspondent


DE PERE – When starting lineups are announced this season for the West De Pere boys’ basketball games, a familiar last name rings out for Green Bay area fans: Nordgaard.

Dawson is the son of former University of Wisconsin-Green Bay star Jeff, who led the Phoenix to three NCAA Tournament appearances in the mid-1990s.

Dawson is 6-foot-8 and only now is starting to come into his own as a basketball player.

As a freshman, he was 6-foot-2 and the eighth or ninth man in the rotation for the freshman team.

The next season, Dawson grew a couple of inches, was on the junior varsity squad and was the second guy off the bench.

Now as a junior, he’s become a starter and is the team’s second-leading scorer at 12 points per game.

“Before the season began, I said, ‘He’s moved to the starting five,’” said first-year West De Pere head coach Todd Deschane. “He’s focused on improving his game, and he’s improved in different areas.”

This is the first time in Dawson’s career he’s ever started on an A-level team.

Even in middle school, he was regulated to the B squad.

“When I was younger on the B team, basketball to me wasn’t really the most fun, but I’ve improved,” Dawson said. “I’ve got the hang of it, and it’s been more fun for me.”

Father Jeff said his son’s rise has been impressive.

“I was a good high school player, but when I went to college, I redshirted my first year, wasn’t any good my second year and became all-conference my third year,” said Jeff. “Dawson still has tons of time to get to a level like that if people are patient with him. I’ve told him, ‘If you want it, you’re going to have some opportunities.’”

Dawson Nordgaard, left, and father Jeff Nordgaard, who had a 14-year professional basketball career. Submitted Photo

Dawson doesn’t turn 17 until Feb. 15.

Fouls have hurt him early on.

In the biggest game of the season Jan. 23, Dawson picked up two quick fouls against Seymour and had to sit the majority of the half.

In the second half, he scored 14 of his 18 points.

He went 7-for-7 from the field and 4-for-5 from the line as West De Pere lost, 70-61.

“At the beginning of the season, I was getting three fouls in the first half,” Dawson said. “As the season has progressed, I’ve learned to stand my ground – hands straight up, try to not get those early fouls. Even if I have three or four fouls, I don’t try to avoid contact. I try to stand my ground and help my team the best I can.”

He’s had two 18-point performances, which are career highs.

“My confidence has been building throughout the games,” Dawson said. “I’m getting more confident in each one.”

When Dawson was in eighth grade and being coached by his dad, he played point guard because he was the best ball-handler on the team.

When he got to high school and sprouted up, working in the paint became his primary job.

“He hasn’t been a back-to-the-basket post guy until recently,” Jeff said. “I think that’s where his strength is in terms of how he can be the most useful – either cutting to the basket or finishing.”

Talented family on the court

Jeff was a second-round pick of the Milwaukee Bucks – having two stints with the team – and spent the majority of his 14-year professional career in Europe.

When Dawson was born in 2003, Jeff was playing for Polonia Warsaw, a team in Warsaw, Poland.

Dawson’s mom, Alexis, is also an accomplished player, having played one season professionally in Italy.

Jeff said he doesn’t want to get too involved in telling his son what to do.

“I’ve let his coaches and the guys who train him do that,” Jeff said. “It’s partially because I don’t want to overdo it with him. Secondly, he’s a unique player because he didn’t have the passion for it growing up that I did. To know where he has come from to where he is now – it’s a giant leap. I want him to continue to have a love for it without him feeling pressure from me.”

Dawson said he appreciates his dad’s help and guidance and knows he has a great teacher to listen to.

“I’m lucky to have a dad that has been in these situations and has experienced these things,” said Dawson, who is named after the town Jeff grew up in – Dawson, Minnesota. “He knows what it’s like to play college basketball and be in the NBA. He shares that knowledge with me, so I’m grateful to be in this situation.”

Jeff said when he is in the stands at a game, he loves seeing his son display things he’s passed along.

“I see things he does and people will say, ‘Hey, that’s what you do,’” Jeff said. “He has big hands like I do and sometimes he’ll go up and utilize that as a tool and be able to move the ball around to finish on reverse layups. I had an up-and-under move throughout my career, and he’s utilized that a couple of times.”

On occasion, the father-son duo will play one-on-one.

Last summer, Dawson beat Jeff for the first time.

“He hasn’t played me since,” Jeff joked “I’m winning the next one.”

Dawson took the one-on-one game a step further.

“I think I beat him 15-7,” he said. “He’s getting older, but he’s still got it.”

If Dawson continues his improvement, college coaches could be looking at a solid player at the next level.

“He’s been really far off the radar because he wasn’t a standout, and he played for an AAU team [Team 1848] that wasn’t very good last year,” Jeff said. “He’s starting to get some Division III looks, so a lot is going to be determined on how athletic he can become with his offseason workouts and how strong he can get.”

Deschane said he believes Dawson’s game will get better because he’s focused on what’s important.

“If he has the mindset he wants to continue to work and get better, the sky is the limit,” Deschane said.

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