Basketball Recap: Ava Tupou Leads a Balanced Attack to Beat Summit Academy

Kearns lost to Summit Academy back in December of 2023, but they didn't allow them the same satisfaction on Saturday. The Kearns Cougars walked away with a 46-37 win over the Summit Academy Bears. That's two games straight that the Cougars have won by exactly nine points.

Kearns' win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Ava Tupou, who posted 16 points. Tupou is also crushing it when it comes to steals: she's grabbed at least two every time she's taken the court this season. Another player making a difference was Mina Kinikini, who had 11 points and seven rebounds.

Kearns smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 19 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive rebounds in nine consecutive matchups.

Several Bears players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Sierra Johnson, who went 7 of 17 on her way to 15 points and eight rebounds. Those 15 points gave Johnson a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Reagan Morgan, who posted ten points in addition to six rebounds and five assists.

Kearns' record now sits at 4-6. As for Summit Academy, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 3-7.

Kearns wasted no time getting back out on the court and has already played their next game, a 40-37 victory against Juan Diego Catholic on the 30th. As for Summit Academy, they also didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next contest, a 39-38 defeat against Hillcrest on the 30th.