Belizean Basketball Rising Star Seeks Public Support for Opportunity in Prestigious U.S. Tournament

A rising basketball star, 17-year-old Tevaughn Dawson, is reaching out to the public for support as he prepares for an opportunity that may aid in achieving his dreams. Dawson has been selected to compete in the prestigious 2025 AAU Basketball Tournament, the Dru Joyce Classic, in Cleveland, Ohio. This NCAA-certified event will allow Dawson and his teammates from the Belize Elementary School’s team to showcase their skills in front of college scouts, with hopes of securing scholarships to play basketball in the U.S. or Canada. To make this dream a reality, Dawson needs to raise $3,501 to cover the cost of his trip, which includes flights, hotel accommodations, travel insurance, NBA game tickets, and sightseeing. While Dawson has raised over one thousand dollars, he is seeking donations to cover the remaining $2,751 by March 2025. Our newsroom Dawson about the opportunity. 

Tevaughn Dawson, Athlete: “Coach first contacted my mom and asked me my age and so if I was going to be able to go out and then we had a conversation and decided that we will go and he told us the team and what all we need to do, what all papers we need to have and that’s how we got there.”

Reporter: And so interns of the way you have been training for this can you talk to us about that ? 

Tevaughn Dawson, Athlete: “Well we just got training because we just got the team but from now on we will start working every day for this week. We will be doing the five days when school starts it’s going to be on the weekends so we’re expected to put in a lot of work on the court. Well I am a two time national team player for U17 and U19. We just went to Argentina this beginning of the year and last year we played in Belize with U17 which we came in third and I’m just here in Belize playing basketball and going to different districts and playing. It’s my first year at UB so the first games we played well and whatever and then we went to the nationals and we won that and it’s been a while that the UB Jaguars have won a nationals so it feels really good and with next year we’re supposed to be going to Honduras. Well my ambition in basketball you know is get better every day, work hard, get out of the country that’s been my dream for a long time so I just work every day towards that goal.”

Reporter: And how have you been able to balance sports and school ? 

Tevaughn Dawson, Athlete: “Well attending UB I have, they’re giving me boarding so in the morning I work out, I go to school, I come back and then we usually have a team practice so at night I do my homework and projects and whatever.”

Reporter: What are you studying ? 

Tevaughn Dawson, Athlete: “Business management.”

Reporter: And so if someone would like to donate to you where can they donate ? 
Tevaughn Dawson, Athlete: “Well they can donate to my Atlantic Bank Account, they can contact my phone number at 624-4904.”

Anyone wishing to support Dawson’s journey can contribute by reaching out to him on phone number 624-4904.