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Nick Gag

Dobson hits a three from deep! "Definitely not as talented, but I thought we would play hard every night,” says Dobson.

Stillwater recently took Cretin-Derham Hall to not one, not two, not three, not four, but FIVE overtimes to come out on top. The victory was even sweeter because Stillwater was not only the underdog, but over the years, Cretin had a reputation for beating the Ponies. If it were not for senior Isaiah Dobson’s hustle and heart on offense as the overtime minutes ticked down, it never would have ended with Stillwater fans rushing the court at the buzzer, and Cretin hanging their heads on the way to the bus.

If you’re good enough to be one of the five guys on the court at a Friday night basketball game, then you are really good if you’re the guy everyone looks to to get the job done.  Dobson is that guy, and Stillwater looked to him to keep them alive several times in the season, not to mention during the series of overtimes in the fight against Cretin.  He is hustle, heart, and hometown hero in the game of hoops.  He will miss the game, but probably not as much as the team will miss him, as he ends his senior year.

Dobson has had an interesting basketball career that evolved, as all players do, over time.  As a junior varsity player, he was small and scrappy on the court, but didn’t really stand out, except that he gave great team effort.  As time progressed, Dobson took on more and more of a leadership role as a point guard.

In reflecting on past seasons, and asked what he expected this season, compared to last season, Dobson said, “Definitely not as talented, but I thought we would play hard every night.”

Since they are a team with a smaller lineup than last year, the Ponies had to find a way to push the ball up and down the court faster and get the ball in the hoop more than in years prior.  As a team, they made up for some of last season’s talent with hustle and dedication.

As the Ponies play-off run ended with a loss to Tartan after the infamous Cretin win, Dobson recalled his senior season’s favorite memory, “Beating Cretin in how ever many overtimes there were, because it’s been a long time since we’ve beat them.”

Dobson and the Ponies set a school record with five overtimes.  Though he was limited to just three points in the first half, Dobson got hot in the second half, finishing with 42 points, going 5 of 12 from 3 point range, 8 of 14 inside the arc, and 11 of 12 for free throws.

With his senior year drawing to a close, Dobson was asked if he had any thoughts about playing at the next level and if he had any tips for future varsity level players.  He said, “Definitely, it’s been one of my main goals ever since I was a kid, and if I were to give any advice it would be just to give it your all every practice, every lifting session, because it goes by fast.”

Moving forward, Dobson will attend Jamestown University in North Dakota, a D2 program, known for their basketball.

When asked how many colleges were interested in him as a prospective basketball player, and what he considered when choosing where to spend his next four years, Dobson said, “There were a couple.  The biggest thing that I considered was my education and what school would be the best fit, also, just playing in general.”

Since playing at the high school level, Dobson has played at the varsity level the past two years.  Known for his scrappiness and his jump shot, he earned his way into the limelight as a leader on the court.

When asked what he is looking forward to most in the transition from high school basketball to NCAA D2 basketball, Dobson replied, “Being able to play at the next level with better athletes and tougher competition.”  Seeing how Dobson led his team as a senior, he will offer his future D2 teammates some stiff competition as well.