The Bountiful boys basketball team tipped off the 2023–24 season in style, winning by half a hundred in a one-sided affair against Summit Academy. 

The Redhawks offensive was firing on all cylinders, nearly reaching the full hundred in a 98-48 victory. 

Bountiful had 17 points apiece in the second and third quarters, bookended by offensive explosions of 30 and 34 points in the first and fourth quarters, respectively. Bountiful led by 21 points after one quarter and 47-19 at halftime. After Summit Academy outscored the Redhawks 20-17 in the third, the Redhawks went on a blistering 34-9 run to end the game. 

Plenty of players contributed to the rout. 

Carson Smith and Bryson Heath each surpassed the 20-point mark, with Smith scoring 23 points and Heath getting 21. Charlie Smith wasn’t far behind, scoring 16 points, 12 of which came off his four three-pointers. Arturo Garcia added nine points, and Sawyer Crane had eight. Five other players got in the scoring column for the Redhawks, who hit 11 three-pointers in the blowout victory. 

Bountiful made 37 field goals to Summit’s Academy’s 20. The Redhawks also outshot Summit Academy from the foul 13 to four. It was the third consecutive season-opening victory for Bountiful. 

First-year head coach Gus Sopena inherits a team that went 9-14 overall. He has Carson Smith at his disposal, last season’s leading scorer at 15.7 points an outing. Charlie Smith scored just under 10 points a game last season. Heath is looking to emerge after playing sparingly a season ago. 

The Redhawks played on Tuesday at East in a game that took place after our press deadline. Bountiful then hosted Cedar Valley on Wednesday. On Dec. 1, Bountiful travels to Skyridge for a tough game. 

The Redhawks have seven games in December before starting Region 5 play Jan. 3 at home against Box Elder.