HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Huntington basketball standout Mikal Dawson on Thursday evening signed with Huntington Prep’s post-graduate program, reclassifying as a 2019 college recruit.
The 6-foot-4 forward/guard during his senior season this past year averaged 20 points, eight rebounds, two assists and a steal per game with the Highlanders.
Dawson was named captain of the Class AAA all-state first team as well by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
“Mikal was a kid who definitely had skill and talent,’’ Huntington coach Ron Hess said earlier this year in a WVSWA release. “Even when he was a sophomore. But he knew it wasn’t his time or his team yet. We had Tavian (Dunn-Martin) and J.R. (Howard) and those guys, and it was their team.
“Then once (Dawson) became a junior, he felt like he had to step up and take a leadership role for us, even as a junior,” he continued. “He was a big reason we won it that year. He stepped his game up offensively and defensively.’’
Dawson was a part of Huntington’s runner-up team in 2016, the Highlanders’ title team in 2017 (Dawson averaged 22 points per game that year) and state tournament quarterfinal team this past year. The Highlanders also won a state title in Dawson’s freshman year from 2015.
Some of Dawson’s offers this past year included Marshall, Youngstown State and Bowling Green.
George Washington’s Justin Phillips and Anthony Clendenin also signed with Huntington Prep on Thursday as well.