A feature on John Dickson

John Schumacher offers a feature on former Fairfield High star John Dickson:

Freshman Dickson makes impact for Sac State basketball team
John Schumacher
Sacramento Bee
January 15, 2010

John Dickson could have gone to USF, a private school with a memorable, storied basketball tradition.

The Dons won the National Invitation Tournament title in 1949 under legendary coach Pete Newell and claimed national championships in 1955 and 1956 with Bill Russell, K.C. Jones and coach Phil Woolpert. They also savored three consecutive NCAA Tournament bids and a No. 1 ranking in the 1970s behind Bill Cartwright, Winford Boynes and James Hardy.

But Dickson wanted to create his own history. So last spring, he chose his other finalist, Sacramento State, a struggling basketball program still seeking its first NCAA Tournament bid since joining Divi- sion I in 1991...

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John Dickson shines for Sac State

It was just an exhibition and the first contest of the season but freshman John Dickson (formerly of Fairfield High) produced quite the statistical line against Menlo:

* 16 points
* five rebounds
* two assists
* two steals
* two blocked shots

(photo courtesy of Sacramento State athletics)

Ryan Sypkens and John Dickson shine

It wasn't what was expected but Ryan Sypkens (pictured) and John Dickson made the most of their opportunity:

Classy Sypkens helps save day for undermanned Sac stars in Oakland
Bill Patterson
SacramentoBee
June 14, 2009

Ryan Sypkens is a glass half-full guy.

When the Franklin High star point guard and Bee All-Metro first team selection realized he was one of only three players that showed for the Sacramento stars in their match-up with the Bay Area stars on Saturday at Laney College, the classy young man didn't pick up his basketball and go home.

"I just looked at it as more minutes for me," said Sypkens, a 6-foot-3 graduated senior headed for UC Davis in the fall on scholarship. "It was an honor to be picked, and I had a lot of fun playing."

Sypkens scored 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and helped make Fairfield's 6-5 John Dickson look like the second coming of LeBron James in Sac's 109-103 loss. Dickson put on a show of athleticism in scoring 45 points and grabbing 11 rebounds...

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