Nat Dixon described Owen Frazier as a “little guy.”
He also was Dixon’s best friend.
“You know those people you grow up with, for 10-11 years?” Dixon said last week.
That was Owen Frazier.
The effort Dixon constantly exhibits for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on the basketball court could in part be attributed to the influence of Frazier, who was murdered on Jan. 5 in Panama City, Fla. Two people have been charged with the crime.
Dixon said Frazier taught him to “never give up.”
Dixon was absent from the Mocs’ Jan. 14 game at Mercer, as he serving as a pallbearer at Frazier’s funeral. He was 20.
Dixon didn’t need much time building relationships with UTC teammates after arriving on campus in the summer. That support helped him through the loss of Frazier.
“It was pretty tough,” Dixon said. “Any time you lose somebody close to you, it really hurts, but my family here in Chatt supported me. They let me know it was OK to go back home and be a pallbearer at my best friend’s funeral.
“As far as support, they’ve been behind me 100 percent. Coach (Matt) McCall, Coach (Peter) Gash, my teammates, they’ve helped me get back, get into a rhythm and start playing.”
Dixon played 17 minutes in the Mocs’ 82-78 win over Samford on Jan. 21, chipping in four points, three rebounds, two steals and an assist. He’s been a vital piece of the Mocs’ puzzle all season long, and as McCall noted, it’s not about the stats with him.
“Nat impacts winning,” McCall said after the Samford win. “It’s not about his scoring; it’s about all the other things that Nat Dixon brings to the table. He had an unbelievable play where he dove on the floor for a loose ball. We didn’t get it, but when he does things like that, our bench and our energy level goes through the roof, and he knows that. Defensively he’s terrific: He’s all over the place out there, and he had some good finishes in and around the basket.”
Dixon and the Mocs (15-4, 6-1) will take on Virginia Military Institute this evening at 7 at McKenzie, before playing at East Tennessee State on Saturday.
“Owen always stood up for what he believed in, and I’m thankful he taught me that,” Dixon said. “I know he’s playing with me – right next to me, sitting on my shoulder. He’s in my heart.
“I know not to take anything for granted, because you never know when that day is going to be your last, so I just play for him.”
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.