Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus DePaul on February 7, 2026 , Win , 90, to, 72
Men's Basketball
vs DePaul
Final
90
-
72
Providence College Athletics
Versatility And Work Ethic Define Friar Freshman Bilal Dixon
11/13/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 13, 2008
Providence, R.I. - Work hard and play the game as much as you can.
Those words have been uttered by basketball coaches for decades, but not all players with promise act on the advice. Distractions both on and off the court, other interests and poor work ethics ultimately doom some high school athletes that never achieve their true potentials.
Providence freshman Bilal Dixon is not one of those players. The 6-8 forward from Jersey City, N.J. is a true student of the game, playing anywhere and everywhere he can. Participating in countless camps and leagues in the New York area throughout his childhood and high school career, Dixon has been lauded by his former coaches as a versatile athlete that plays the game with an energy that few others can match. Dixon has definitely taken those coaching words to heart, and it has earned him a scholarship at Providence College in a career that many think has just begun.
Jersey City has a rich basketball history and Bilal Dixon benefited from a childhood in which he was surrounded by the game. His Belmont Street neighborhood was filled with kids who played all the time, and he quickly learned the basics of the game in his friend's backyard. All in all, Dixon benefited from growing up in a basketball town that has produced NBA greats like Tommy Heinsohn, Bobby Hurley and Shaquille O'Neal.
"I saw a lot of guys playing basketball when I was younger," Dixon said. "As I got older, the guys I saw when I was younger were playing in the BIG EAST on TV. That showed me that I could do it and it pushed me even harder."
When Dixon turned 10, he made a decision that ultimately jumpstarted his basketball career. The young kid from New Jersey made the trip to New York City and attended a basketball camp run by Andre Ambrose, a key figure in the New York AAU scene. He continued making visits to the camps throughout middle school and he developed a good relationship with Ambrose.
"It definitely helped him develop his game, especially as far as his competitive nature, coming from New Jersey and playing New York style basketball," Ambrose said. "With his size and the skill level he has, he has a New York type game."
Ambrose admits that Dixon's body was slow to develop, but he had an energy and passion for the game that carried him until he hit his growth spurt in high school.
Bilal played his first two seasons of high school ball under Bob Hurley at St. Anthony's but also played with Ambrose on the New York AAU team, United Brooklyn. During his four years with the team, Dixon played with a bevy of BIG EAST talent, including Robert Mitchell (Seton Hall), Dwight Burke (Marquette) and Pat Jackson (Rutgers). As a result, Bilal was constantly being challenged in practice and in games, and the experience only pushed him harder against top competition.
Andre Ambrose was impressed by Dixon's work ethic but even more so by his demeanor with his teammates.
"Character wise, Bilal is just a great person to be around," Ambrose said. "He makes everybody around him comfortable. It's funny, kids that aren't as comfortable with themselves playing basketball, Bilal really takes them under his wing and makes them feel comfortable. That's what I love about him."
Dixon's character was tested going into his senior year of high school at Queen of Peace, as his coach was fired and the team became involved in a difficult situation.
"Bilal had a lot of offers to leave that school when the coaching change happened and it was really hard for him to stay," Ambrose said. "One of the things he said was, `That's my team and that's my school. I'll do everything I can to help them win, even thought I could go someplace else and win a championship.'"
Dixon cared about the coaches coming in, and he motivated the team to rally around the new staff.
"I helped bring the team together and we talked and said we wanted to play harder this year, which we did," Dixon said. "We wanted to make history because my school never won the league title before. That was my senior goal."
The motivational meeting paid dividends for Queen of Peace, as the team went 18-0 in conference play and captured the league championship. Dixon averaged 19 points and 14 rebounds and thrived in his leadership role during the season.
Dixon has gained a wealth of experience, competing in high school, AAU, and New York's Pro City tournament along with NBA players Michael Beasley, Ron Artest and Donte Greene. Ambrose feels this competition will make Dixon's transition to Division I basketball much easier than the average freshman's.
As Bilal's basketball career now shifts to Providence, Ambrose says it's only a matter of time before he blossoms into a powerful player in the BIG EAST.
"There's only a select few who have seen everything that Bilal can do," Ambrose said. "He can do pretty much everything on the court, but because of his size, he's been relegated to play his role."
In a number of games for United Brooklyn, Ambrose played Dixon at point guard because of his ball-handling ability and quickness, despite his 6-8 frame. He compared Dixon to current Providence senior Geoff McDermott, but said that over time he could even see Bilal developing into one of the Friar greats, in the mold of a Ryan Gomes or a Marvin Barnes.
But Dixon knows that's a long way off, and he's just trying to make his mark on a 2008-09 Friar squad dominated by five skilled seniors. For now, he's simply absorbing as much as he can from these players.
"I just want to take what I can from each senior," Dixon said. "I want to play hard like John [Kale], be versatile like Geoff [McDermott], learn some moves in the post from [Randall] Hanke and shoot like Jeff [Xavier]."
Dixon has also worked on his defense with senior guard Weyinmi Efejuku, so he can get used to the quickness of the guards at the BIG EAST level.
Regardless of how he plays this season, Bilal Dixon's passion for the game and ability to work hard will never be questioned by Friar fans. He knows that he'll have to continue his fierce work ethic throughout his career at Providence to reach his ultimate goal, one day leading the Friars to the NCAA Tournament.
Players Mentioned
Forward/Center
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward/Guard
/ Men's BasketballMen's Basketball Exhibition vs. Harvard
Saturday, October 25
2018-2019 Men's Basketball Highlight Video
Saturday, April 13
