Nebraska-Omaha basketball player Deng Mayar drowns in a Utah reservoir

Nebraska-Omaha basketball player Deng Mayar tragically drowned in a Utah reservoir over the weekend, according to Herriman police. The 22-year-old graduate student had joined the Mavericks after playing two seasons for Summit League rival North Dakota. A native of Salt Lake City, Mayar had started 15 games in two seasons and averaged 6.3 points and 4.0 rebounds as a senior.

Coach Chris Crutchfield expressed his sorrow over Mayar’s passing, stating that the young player had shown “tremendous progress” during the summer and had a positive impact on the team culture. Crutchfield added, “Deng was a joy to be around and made our culture better. We will miss him greatly.”

The tragic incident unfolded when Herriman police received a 911 call reporting two individuals in distress at Blackridge Reservoir. Mayar went underwater about 35 yards from shore, with his companion Sa Mafutaga attempting to rescue him. While Mafutaga managed to reach the shore, he was unable to save Mayar. Bystanders intervened to assist Mafutaga, who was subsequently treated at the scene and taken to a hospital. Thankfully, Mafutaga is expected to recover from the ordeal.

After several hours of searching, authorities were able to recover Mayar’s body from the reservoir. The entire basketball community mourns the loss of a promising young athlete whose life was cut short in a tragic accident.

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