Sports

22-year-old Omaha basketball player Deng Mayar dies in reservoir incident

Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at 7:20 PM

by Triz Pereña

3 min read

Omaha basketball player Deng Mayar, 22, drowned on August 16 at Blackridge Reservoir in Herriman, Utah, authorities confirmed
His 21-year-old friend, Sa Mafutaga, tried to save him but was unsuccessful and was later hospitalized
Rescue teams recovered Mayar’s body hours later as his family waited nearby
A Salt Lake City native, Mayar was a graduate student who previously played two seasons for North Dakota before joining Omaha

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Omaha men’s basketball player Deng Mayar, 22, tragically drowned on Saturday, August 16 at Blackridge Reservoir in Herriman, Utah, police confirmed.

22-Year-Old Omaha basketball player Deng Mayar dies in reservoir incident (Photo: Omaha Mavericks/@omavs)
Source: Instagram

According to the Herriman Police Department’s statement posted on X, officers responded at approximately 5:40 p.m. to a 911 call reporting two individuals in distress in the water. Authorities said that Mayar’s friend, 21-year-old Sa Mafutaga, was able to reach the shore but noticed that Mayar was still struggling about 35 yards from land. In a desperate attempt to help, Mafutaga reentered the reservoir but was unable to rescue him.

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Bystanders then entered the water to assist Mafutaga, who was treated at the scene and later transported to a hospital by Unified Fire Authority. He is expected to recover.

Rescue teams from Unified Fire Authority and the South Jordan Fire Department began search operations shortly after the incident. Later, the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) dive team joined the efforts with a submersible robot. After hours of searching, Mayar was located at 10:40 p.m. and recovered by divers at 11:00 p.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police confirmed that his family was present during the search and had been notified of his passing.

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“The Herriman City Police Department investigations unit is requesting any patrons who witnessed the events and have not spoken with detectives to contact the Herriman Police Department at 801-858-0035, referencing case HR25-16361,” authorities stated.

They also announced that Blackridge Reservoir will remain closed to the public until further notice, including the surrounding trailhead and recreation areas.

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According to the Associated Press, Mayar was a graduate student who transferred to Omaha after playing two seasons for North Dakota, a Summit League rival. A native of Salt Lake City, he started 15 games over two seasons, averaging 6.3 points and 4.0 rebounds as a senior.

Mayar was remembered by Omaha coach Chris Crutchfield, who praised the young athlete’s dedication and spirit. “Deng was a joy to be around and made our culture better,” Crutchfield said. “We will miss him greatly.”

The coach added that Mayar had shown “tremendous progress” during the summer.

Mayar is not the only young foreign figure to have passed away recently, as reports of other international personalities’ deaths have also surfaced.

Gustavo Talmare, a 14-year-old rising baseball talent from the Dominican Republic, tragically passed away after drowning in Guerra. Talmare earned recognition as the MVP of the 2024 Caribbean Kids Series, highlighting his exceptional talent.