The Summit Academy Junior High boys basketball team recently won the Utah Charter and Small School Athletic League state championship, defeating Providence Hall 37-32 in the title game Dec. 12. 

“We faced an undefeated Providence team on their court for the championship,” said head coach Kenneth Druce. “They had previously beaten us twice in the regular season (by 24 and 25 points, respectively), but our boys showed up to the game with confidence, believing they could still win the game. The key to winning was defense. It was our best defensive game all year.”

The Falcons also beat an undefeated Reagan Academy squad in the semifinals after wins against Excelsior and Dual Immersion to start the team’s state playoff run.

Summit was led in scoring this season by Maxwell Stevenson and Sam Leinbach and by Everett Butters and Breven Ewing on the boards. Sam Latimer had the team’s top offensive performance of the season with 28 points against Channing Hall.

Also on the 14-2 squad this year were Dallin Bradshaw, Truman Cecil, Logan Child, Tristen Jones, Korver Kay, Darren Pendleton and Ian Rodriguez.

“The team improved so much throughout the year,” Druce said. “We only had two returning players from last year’s team. They played together as a team, moved the ball well and played tough defense. But, most importantly, they had fun.”

Druce was assisted on the coaching staff by Jeremy DeForest and team manager Savannah Smith.