Gareth Dawson

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Gareth Dawson

| image =

| position = Centre / power forward

| height_cm = 205

| weight_kg =

| league =

| team =

| number =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1989|2|21}}

| birth_place = Timaru, New Zealand

| highschool = Roncalli College
(Timaru, New Zealand)
Waitaki Boys'
(Oamaru, New Zealand)

| career_start = 2009

| career_end =

| years1 = 2009

| team1 = Manawatu Jets

| years2 = 2009–2010

| team2 = Wollongong Hawks

| years3 = 2010–2011

| team3 = Southland Sharks

| years4 = 2010–2011

| team4 = Cairns Taipans

| years5 = 2012

| team5 = Nelson Giants

| years6 = 2013–2014

| team6 = Southland Sharks

| years7 = 2015–2016

| team7 = Canterbury Rams

| years8 = 2016

| team8 = Mackay Meteors

| years9 = 2017

| team9 = Canterbury Rams

| highlights =

NZNBL champion (2013)

}}

Gareth Dawson (born 21 February 1989) is a New Zealand professional basketball player.

High school

Dawson attended Roncalli College from 2004 to 2005, and Waitaki Boys' High School from 2006 to 2007.[http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/sport/3432618/Shark-Gareth-Dawson-credits-Aussie-experience Shark Gareth Dawson credits Aussie experience]

Basketball career

In 2008, Dawson played for the North Otago Penguins of the Conference Basketball League (CBL). In 2009, he played for the Manawatu Jets of the National Basketball League (NBL). Dawson spent two seasons in the Australian NBL as a development player with the Wollongong Hawks (2009/10){{cite web | url=http://www.basketball.org.nz/news/dawson-joins-hawks/ | title=Dawson Joins Hawks | work=Basketball.org.nz | date=24 October 2009 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141101074535/http://www.basketball.org.nz/news/dawson-joins-hawks/ | archivedate=1 November 2014}} and Cairns Taipans (2010/11).

In 2010, Dawson played for the Southland Sharks and Southland Flyers.{{cite web | url=http://www.basketball.org.nz/_r/uploads/2010/07/2010-conference-basketball-league-programme-as-at-25-jul-10.pdf | title=2010 Conference Basketball League programme | work=Basketball.org.nz | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150126011833/http://www.basketball.org.nz/_r/uploads/2010/07/2010-conference-basketball-league-programme-as-at-25-jul-10.pdf | archivedate=26 January 2015}}[http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/sport/3963828/Paringatai-Dawson-impress-in-Flyers-win Paringatai, Dawson impress in Flyers win]

Dawson continued on with the Sharks in 2011{{cite web | url=http://www.basketball.org.nz/news/dawson-back-on-board/ | title=Dawson Back On Board | work=Basketball.org.nz | date=8 September 2010 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141101074535/http://www.basketball.org.nz/news/dawson-joins-hawks/ | archivedate=1 November 2014}} before joining the Nelson Giants in 2012.[http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/sport/basketball/5785650/Great-white-Shark-joining-the-Giants Great white Shark joining the Giants]

Dawson returned to the Southland Sharks in 2013[http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/8397658/Dawson-happy-to-be-in-Henares-care Dawson happy to be in Henare's care][http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/sport/9495732/Sharks-net-biggest-signing-in-Conklin Sharks net biggest signing in Conklin] and continued on with them in 2014. In May 2014, the Sharks were forced to stand down Dawson after he tested positive for a banned drug.[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11262154 Southland basketball player tests positive for banned drug][http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/10101881/Henare-Peck-make-comeback-for-the-Sharks Henare, Peck make comeback for the Sharks] Originally facing a two-year suspension, the Sports Tribunal were lenient after being satisfied he hadn't intentionally cheated and found his taking of prohibited substance tamoxifen was not for performance-enhancing purposes. He was instead suspended from playing for just 12 months in August 2014.[http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/10351513/Southland-Shark-Dawson-suspended-12-months Southland Shark Dawson suspended 12 months]

After serving his ban, Dawson joined the Canterbury Rams in April 2015.[http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/68116383/kyle-coston-cut-by-canterbury-rams-shooting-guard-jermaine-taylor-signs-on Kyle Coston cut by Canterbury Rams, shooting guard Jermaine Taylor signs on][http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/68554827/basketballer-gareth-dawson-back-from-year-long-drug-ban Basketballer Gareth Dawson back from year long drug ban] He continued on with the Rams in 2016.{{cite web | last=Egan | first=Brendon | url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/75087151/former-tall-black-jeremy-kench-retires-from-national-basketball-league-after-12-years | title=Former Tall Black Jeremy Kench retires from National Basketball League after 12 years | work=Stuff.co.nz | date=14 December 2015 | accessdate=14 December 2015}} On 10 June 2016, Dawson signed with the Mackay Meteors for the rest of the 2016 Queensland Basketball League season.{{cite web | last=Lees | first=Chris | url=http://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/meteors-goes-for-size-with-new-import/3042763/ | title=LISTEN: New Meteors signing talks about his strengths | work=DailyMercury.com.au | date=10 June 2016 | accessdate=10 June 2016}} In five games for the Meteors, he averaged 9.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.{{cite web | url=http://websites.sportstg.com/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=202027927&client=1-4144-69431-422096-24978404 | title=Player statistics for Gareth Dawson | work=SportsTG.com | accessdate=21 October 2016}}

In March 2017, Dawson re-signed with the Canterbury Rams for the 2017 season.[http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/90524183/canterbury-cocaptain-ethan-rusbatch-ruled-out-of-seasonopening-road-trip Canterbury co-captain Ethan Rusbatch ruled out of season-opening road trip]

On 18 December 2017, Dawson was banned for four years for his second anti-doping rule breach since 2014.[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11961833 Four-year doping ban for Kiwi basketballer][https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/basketball/four-year-drugs-ban-kiwi Four-year drugs ban for Kiwi] He was suspended for the presence of a prohibited substance, higenamine, in a sample taken from him at a National Basketball League (NBL) game on May 27. The four-year period of disqualification was backdated to 31 July 2017 with Dawson banned from all organised sport until 30 July 2021.[https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/99956678/fouryear-ban-for-new-zealand-basketballer-gareth-dawson-after-second-doping-breach Four-year ban for New Zealand basketballer Gareth Dawson after second doping breach]