Dawson, a lead guard out of Woodstock Academy in Connecticut, introduced himself to New England during the NEPSAC Showcases and has continued to turn heads ever since. A pitbull on the defensive end of the floor, he uses a low center of gravity and strong frame to his advantage, keeping opposing ball-handlers away from their spots and out of the paint. He guards the length of the floor and has a second gear that few can match when attacking loose balls. Offensively, he plays with a ton of creativity as a finisher around the rim and has shown the ability to knock down shots in bunches from behind the arc. Fairfield, Hofstra, and La Salle have all extended offers in the last month.

The Miami native is headed to New England in the fall and has advertised a drop to the 2028 class. Part of Tre Mann Elite, who brought home the Puma Pro 16 Championship yesterday, Dawson is a quick, strong, attacking, scoring lead guard. He is a very good with the ball, tough to keep out of the paint, and is a capable shot maker with a high basketball IQ.

Dawson is electric. The 5-foot-11 guard lacks size but makes up for it with incredible heart and skill level. Defensively, he’s a 94-foot pest who does an amazing job using his hands and sliding his feet to beat ball handlers to spots. Offensively, he gets into the paint at will with his quickness and strength, he makes really smart live-dribble passes to cutters and shooters on the perimeter, and he can even create his own shot from all three levels. The senior has D1 offers, but he’ll pick up more if he runs the show for Putnam like he did today. Don’t let his size fool you—nobody wants to dribble against him.

Dawson led Pines Charter to another state title this season, further establishing himself as a Division I prospect at the point guard position. He averaged 16.8 points per game for Head Coach Dave Roca, consistently producing as both a scorer and floor leader. A quick, strong, and attacking lead guard, Dawson is tough to keep out of the paint and shows a strong feel for the game with the ball in his hands. He is a capable perimeter shooter and competes defensively, making him an impactful backcourt prospect.

The leader of the offense for head coach Dave Roca, Dawson turned in two strong performances in Jacksonville and appears poised to attract Division I scholarship offers this offseason. The junior point guard has the versatility to score or distribute, showing the ability to impact the game in multiple ways. He plays with good command of the basketball, consistently making sound decisions and keeping the offense organized. Dawson also brings toughness and competitiveness to the position, traits that help set the tone for his team on both ends of the floor.

Coming off a 17-point performance and a dominant second half in a win for Pines Charter over St. Thomas Aquinas earlier in the week, the junior point guard elevated his play even further with 27 points in a victory over The Villages. Dawson consistently created offense off the dribble, scoring efficiently at all three levels while putting steady pressure on the defense by getting to the free-throw line. He also showed strong command of the game, taking care of the ball and making sound decisions for the Jaguars. With his continued growth and impact, Dawson is trending upward and will move up in our updated 2027 rankings at the end of the season.

Point guard play stood out in Ocala this week and no one played the position better than Tournament MVP Zack Dawson Zack Dawson 5'11" | PG Woodstock Academy | 2027 State New E . The Pines Charter floor general uses his quickness and strength to attack the paint at the offensive end. The junior has a good command of the basketball and shoots it well enough from the perimeter to keep defenses honest.