| Sport(s): | 1st Conference Championship |
| Years at DCC: | 1970-1971 |
| Year Inducted: | 2022 |
Coach Dennis Perryman led the 1970-1971 men’s basketball team to a 28-8 record, including a 19-1 mark at home and the Bucs led the nation in scoring at almost 100 points per game; and that was before the shot clock or 3-point line changed the game. Before this magical season, the Bucs didn’t draw many local fans to their home games, but that all changed in 70-71 when the Bucs averaged 1,650 fans per game, including 3,100 that showed up to see Dawson beat Miles 118-91 to clinch their first ever Mon-Dak Conference Championship. Bruce Brunetti led the way with 20 first half points and 31 points for the game. A week later, the Bucs beat Miles again to claim the North Sub-Region IX Tournament title behind 6’5 forward Brad Pauley’s 28 points and 20 rebounds.
This special team broke 16 team and individual records at DCC including wins in a season (28), consecutive wins (10), consecutive home wins (15), total points in a season (3577), scoring average (99.2 ppg), total free throws made (674), total number of field goals made (1451) and total rebounds (1882).
Jim Gray and Brad Pauley were named All Mon-Dak Conference. The team MVP was awarded to six players: Pauley, 6’5 forward Jim Gray, 6’1 guard Dexter King, 6’4 forward Rick Thompson, 6’3 guard/forward Mike Grubb and the 5’11 Brunetti.
In that historic season, Pauley set the single season free throw record with 166 and collected the rebounding record as well with 600 for the season. The Glendive native also set the single game record with 32 rebounds. He was Dawson’s leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 16.6 rpg and garnering 1,000 rebounds over his two year career. He also scored over 1,000 points in two seasons at Dawson.
Gray also eclipsed the 1,000 point mark in his two years. Gray shot 52% from the field in the 1970-1971 season and averaged 13 rebounds per game. Playmaking wizard and fan favorite, Brunetti, broke the school record for assists in a game with 13 and assists in a season with 267. Brunetti also led the team in free throw percentage at 76.6% and led the entire Mon-Dak Conference in field goal percentage at 56%. King was their best defender and team captain, averaging 14.3 points per game. Other team members included 6’4 forward Fred Febach, 5’10 guard Wayne Emter, 6’0 guard Bob Anderson, 5’7 guard Todd Dayton, 6’3 forward Larry DeRossett, 6’3 center Larry Fritz, 6’3 forward Rex Humphrey, 6’2 forward Gary Higlin and Dennis Lordemann.
After finishing at Dawson, Pauley transferred to Texas A & M; Gray played at Dickinson State; Grubb at College of Idaho, DeRosset at Spring Arbor; and Brunetti at Winnipeg.