BUTTE — Adam Hiatt had his sights set on recruiting Chrishon Dixon shortly after the Billings Central product departed Montana State University Billings to play for Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona, during the 2021-22 season.
"He was our priority recruit, we knew he was that important to us," Hiatt said. "He's a tremendous athlete. That was manifested throughout his high school career at Billings Central. There was nothing he couldn't do."
A dual-sport athlete, the 2019 Central grad led the Rams to the 2018 State A football title and months later helped guide Central's basketball team to a Class A championship, earning MVP honors along the way.
A highly-touted recruit, Dixon decided to play for the hometown Yellowjackets for two seasons and then headed for Arizona where last season he averaged 11.3 points and 5.7 assists per game.
It was a strong season for the 6-foot, 170-pound guard, and Hiatt knew it would take a lot of convincing to entice him back to the Treasure State.
The Orediggers' breakout season — in which they emerged as the Frontier Conference regular season champions and then outlasted Carroll College in the Frontier Tournament Championship — certainly caught Dixon's attention. And in April, he announced that he'd be joining the defending conference champions in Butte.
"You always want to go to a winning team and just try to up it cause you know there's high expectations and there's pressure," Dixon said. "And the best players want the pressure and the high expectations on them."
The Orediggers have a lot of talent to replace with players like Taylor England, Derrius Collins and Sindou Diallo having graduated after last season. Hiatt said Dixon is fitting into Tech's system nicely.
"He is a seamless fit," Hiatt said. "He gives us immediate upgrades in certain areas. From a defensive standpoint, the way we want to defend. Offensively I couldn't be more pleased with where we are. Does he have a lot to improve on? Of course, every player does. But where we are, I couldn't be happier."
Another bonus of Dixon coming to Tech? Reuniting with forward Sam Gray, a fellow 2019 Central graduate.
"It's great to reunite with Sam," Dixon said. "Sam's one of my best friends and last time me and him wore green we won a state championship together. So I put that in the back of my head that there's a lot that can happen when me and him are together."
Tech will open its season at home on Oct. 29 against Portland Bible College.
