Collective “ahhs,” applause and wide grins fill the stands at Hicks Gym as Dawson Battie wows the crowd once again.
This time, with 25 seconds left in the first quarter against St. Andrew’s Episcopal, the junior slammed a windmill dunk off a steal and fastbreak to stretch the Lions’ lead to 21.
They would go on to win the game behind Battie’s 27 points.
The gym is brimming with excitement when the star forward steps on the floor, which has been common for the past three years, when Battie started his journey at St. Mark’s
At 6-foot-9, the junior has been a sensation for the varsity basketball team since he was a freshman.
But basketball isn’t where the standout started.
“I grew up playing soccer, oddly and was a wide receiver for a little while in football,” Battie said.
Once he picked up a basketball, he never looked back.
“In my first game, I did really well, and from there I was like this is probably something I should stick with,” Battie said.
Despite his natural prowess for the game, his love for the sport goes beyond his skills. With his dad, mom and brother all playing college basketball, Battie has had no shortage of support and inspiration from his highly-talented family.
“At that point, I would be dumb not to use that blessing of height and pedigree,” Battie said.
Along with his parents and brother, Battie’s uncle, Tony, led a very impressive basketball career. Following playing at Texas Tech, he was drafted fifth overall in 1997 by the Denver Nuggets and continues to serve as a key role model for Battie throughout his career.
“My uncle has definitely had the biggest influence on me. He was really successful in basketball, so I try to be like him,” Battie said. “He has always taught me to run my own race and that everything will work out.”
The hard work and attention to basketball have paid off as Battie has emerged as one of the top recruits in the country. With college hoops in sight, the junior is focused on accomplishing a lot more before his time as a Marksman is up.
His career has been filled with many bright moments, but Battie is still looking for his first Southwestern Preparatory Conference (SPC) championship after finishing second and third in previous tournaments.
The loss to Greenhill in the semifinals this past year was a heartbreaking loss for Battie and the team, but he didn’t come out of the game without learning something.
“We have to be more aggressive at all times,” Battie said. “I think a lot of times I defer to my teammates a lot, which isn’t a bad thing, but I realized the most selfless thing to do in that situation is to keep shooting.”
This shift in mindset has driven his current season and brought him a long way from where he was last year. Learning from the team’s mistakes in last year’s game against Greenhill led to an exhilarating buzzer-beater win over them this season.

“We started off a little bit slow, but figured it out and that’s what good teams do. I love playing in those environments and that putback by Pranav literally saved the game,” Battie said. “But what happens in the playoffs is most important.”
Although Battie is seen by many as a natural scorer and someone who can take over a game, he still serves as a leader to the many underclassmen on the team. He encourages his teammates to keep shooting, and he stays positive no matter what happens on the court.
“Who am I to tell someone they can’t shoot?” Battie said. “I feel like my teammates like being on the court with me because I share the ball and get everybody open. My goal is to make everyone better and make sure they’re having a good time too.”
That team-first mindset has built chemistry between Battie and his teammates.
“We have a good connection, where when we know he’s open, I can throw it to him and sometimes if he’s not open, I don’t throw it to him,” Danda said. “Then there’s times where he’ll catch in the post and he won’t even look and he’ll know where I am.”
Despite how good the St. Mark’s team is as a whole – they sit at 19-8 with 3 games left until SPC – Battie continues to be the main focus for every opponent.
“Every team we play, the scouting report is basically stop him,” Danda said. “He’s too smart of a player to force up shots, but he’ll just play through the system. Against Bishop Lynch, we didn’t force him the ball, he scored 33. Against Greenhill, we didn’t force him the ball and he scored 30.”
As the Lions’ season comes close to a wrap, Battie is preparing for his next round of basketball this year – with the Southern Ties AAU team in Puma’s PRO16 league.
“I played last year and it was good, so I’m going to run it back this year, but it’s just a lot different than high school,” Battie said. “The size of the players and all of that stuff. I’m excited for it, but I’ve got to win something here first.”
Battie will have his chance in a week as the school hosts the winter SPC tournament. The Lions will be in contention for the title.
And all eyes will be on Battie, as he looks to lead his team to a strong showing.
Battie doesn’t take the spotlight for granted, though, and sees this as a time to be a role model for the young Marksmen across campus looking up to him.
“At the end of the day, it’s a lot of people’s dream to have that kind of status next to your name,” Battie said. “It is definitely a blessing from God.”