By Catherine Garrett | [email protected]

The defending state champion Summit Academy boys basketball returned to the final game this season again undefeated and placed second, losing to Ascent Academy 74-69 Dec. 15, 2020. The Eagles came back from being 19 points down to being within one in the last minute of the game.

“This season was a huge success,” head coach Kenny Druce said. “We only had one returning player and I thought that it might be a rebuilding year. But, they more than exceeded expectations.”

The Falcons were led this season by their returning player Peterson Lunt, along with Kai Halverson, Krew Eckman and Dylan Hatton who all averaged more than 15 points a game while Halverson and Teegan Rawson led on the boards.

“This year’s team was fast, athletic and explosive,” Druce said. “It was full of good shooters, rebounders and excellent defenders.”

Some highlights of the season were a 37-point outburst by Hatton in a win over Maeser Preparatory Academy while the team also dominated Wasatch Waldorf 92-14 in its season opener.

Also on the 11-1 team this season were Tyler Jordan, Zeyad Mohammad, Wilson Numbers, Teegan Rawson, Cash Vigos, Nash Williams and Jackson Young.

“These players learned how to work together and play as a team,” Druce said. “They would move the ball around and share it very well. They truly had a good time when they played and they shared many laughs.” 

Druce was assisted on the coaching staff by Jeremy Deforest while Audrey Druce was the team’s manager.

“I’m extremely grateful that we even got to have a basketball season,” Druce said. “I was worried that with COVID, it would be canceled. Sports are such a big part of their lives, and they were extremely happy just to be able to play.”