JHS Athlete Alum: Payton Dugan

Avery Dugan, Staff Writer

As basketball is winding down for Payton Dugan, he takes a look at some of the things he enjoyed throughout his career and some of his favorite high school basketball moments. He said, “My favorite thing about basketball is going to practice everyday, being around the guys; I’m going to miss that the most.”

Almost eight years ago Payton Dugan, the oldest of JR and Jennifer Dugan’s children, entered his first year of high school. He may not have known where it was going to take him, but he was ready for the ride. As he entered his freshman year of basketball, he was playing for the freshman and junior varsity team. He always talks about how fun those years were getting to play with a group of guys he had played with since sixth grade when he moved to Jacksonville. He was just an average player back in those days, playing for the love of the game.

Entering his sophomore, junior, and senior year of basketball, he found his way into the starting lineup for the varsity team helping little by little each year. Although he had to take a step back his junior season due to a very bad ankle sprain and a little time on the bench due to it, he bounced back with his strongest year of his life for his senior season. His senior year he averaged 7.4 points per game and three rebounds per game.

After spring break his senior year, Payton committed to play basketball at Lincoln Land Community College. He played two years there where he studied graphic design and enjoyed his time around the guys and had two good years. He then chose to go to Illinois College (IC) and follow a family tradition as both his mom and dad went to IC. He still attends IC as a business major hoping to one day have a graphic design company.

As far as basketball goes, he has about ten games left in his career. This year has definitely been his best as he leads the Illinois College Blueboys in points. He averages 11.5 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game.

Payton Dugan was a big part of athletics at Jacksonville High School.