By: Sean Moylan
It wasn’t so long ago, before the days of specialization, when coaches would encourage their players to play more than one sport.
This year, playing football helped make Hightstown High senior forward Tim Lawson the best basketball player he could possibly be. It also served as his inspiration to help lead the Rams’ varsity basketball team to a MCT title and a Central Jersey Group III title game versus Monmouth Regional.
"Football builds up your courage. I tried to bring that football hard work ethic to the court," said Lawson. "There was never a point in any game where I thought we were out of it."
As the long time head coach of the Hightstown boys’ varsity basketball team, Don Hess’ squads are well known for their great defensive play and their hard work. Lawson’s desire to sacrifice personal statistics for the good of the team, made him a natural fit in Hess’ system. Moreover, he didn’t shy away from doing the little things and the dirty work (rebounding, taking charges) which is necessary for any winning basketball program. And while Hightstown thrived this year in its half court offense running set plays, many of Lawson’s 9 points a game were not on set plays. Lawson often scored as a result of his own creation and hustle.
"I like to score off of an offensive rebound and get the plus one," said Lawson, who embraced his role on the team. " My job most of the year was getting rebounds. Hess teaches me how to box out and get lower. I love playing for Coach Hess. I never saw another coach with the kind of stats he keeps."
Hess not only keeps track of points, he has statistics for everything from 3-point field goal percentage to charges. This year, Lawson took 6 charges. It’s a stat he is really proud of because it’s both a hustle stat and a team defensive stat. This year, no Ram averaged over 10 points a game. But several players averaged 6.5 points a game or better. The Rams won as a team, just as they did in football. Lawson shot a shade under 50 percent (49.4) from the field. He also averaged 6.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals, 2.4 assists and 1.8 blocks a game. His play on the defensive end was spectacular to say the least.
"I usually cover the other team’s best big player," noted Lawson, who had similar duties as a shutdown defensive back for the Rams’ successful football team. "I usually take the other team’s best receiver. I try to make them go where they don’t want to go. In our first three games I had four picks. Then opposing coaches decided not to throw my way."
Hightstown’s basketball and football teams were both coming off of losing seasons and yet both were able to win Valley Conference titles this season. An All-Conference All-Star football player, Lawson also made over 30 catches as a receiver.
"It felt good putting up a banner in football. And I was really happy putting up two banners," noted Lawson, who was Hightstown’s 6th man last season.
Last month Hightstown captured its first Mercer County Tournament since 2000 with a 50-41 win over West Windsor-Plainsboro South in front of a huge Hightstown fan base at Mercer County Community College.
"It felt good winning the Mercer County Tournament. It was hard work but we did it for Hess and we did it for the school," said Lawson, whose team went on to beat Long Branch and Neptune (the second seed) in the state tournament before losing a Central Jersey Group III title game to Monmouth.
"I thought we had it. We had a 10-point lead after three quarters," said Lawson, who had a great third quarter to help the Rams take that big lead.
Turnovers did in Hightstown that game. But it was really the team’s only bad game of the year. The Rams’ success this past season all hinged on whether they could win some big early season road games and whether they could buy into Hess’ system. Lawson knew it could be a special year the moment Hightstown beat Ewing, a very good team. After that contest, winning just became contagious and each game brought new heroes.
Four years ago, Lawson played on a Hightstown freshmen team that went 2-17. Mike Williston, Bobby Dougherty, Kevin Sobkowiak and Jason Brown were all on that team. Ironically, those same five players would be instrumental in Hightstown’s varsity team going 20-6 this year. But the Rams had to play countless Martin House and Summer League basketball games to get to this point.
"I know Bobby (Dougherty) and Mike’s (Williston) games too well," laughed Lawson, who, in one-on-one games, has trouble stopping the great outside shooting of the Hightstown talented senior guards. "I think I beat Bobby in one-on-one once. He gets streaky from the outside. And he has this little move that he does."
Those losses don’t matter because Lawson excels in a team game. Next year, Lawson will most likely attend Milford Prep Academy where he hopes to gain enough attention to play either college football or basketball.
"Basketball is my first love. I’ve been playing basketball forever," said Lawson, who planned on completing a perfect Wednesday afternoon with a pick-up basketball game with his two great friends and teammates Mike Williston and Bobby Dougherty, who are now bonded for life by this great basketball season.

