Former Russellville Cyclone Taelon Peter transfers home to Tech
ATU Athletics
RUSSELLVILLE – Arkansas Tech head men’s basketball coach Mark Downey has announced the transfer addition of another Natural State prep standout for his 2021-22 team, this time with local product Taelon Peter returning home to the River Valley.
“Taelon is a dynamic player that will electrify the fans in Tucker Coliseum,” Downey said. “He is high-major athlete, and his one year at the Division I level has helped him mature as a smart, hard-working player as well.”
“I am so excited to have Taelon join our family. We are committed to building this program with local players that have great character and Taelon checks all these boxes. Tech fans should be really excited to watch him for the next four years!”
Peter, a Class 5A Arkansas All-State player as a senior at Russellville, transfers into the Wonder Boys basketball program after spending his initial college season at NCAA Division I Tennessee Tech University.
In his lone year with the Golden Eagles, Peter saw action in six of the team’s first seven games before missing out on the remainder of the season due to injury. In that limited action, Peter averaged 8.3 minutes off the bench and scored in four of those games.
Prior to heading to Tennessee Tech, Peter was a two-sport athlete at Russellville High School, playing basketball for head coach Kyle Pennington and representing the track & field team for head coach Ben Goodman.
As a senior in basketball, Peter was named the Class 5A-West Player of the Year, the River Valley Now Player of the Year and an Arkansas Basketball Coaches Association Top-5 Player. That year, Peter also led his team to a 23-6 record and a second-straight Class 5A-West Conference title while averaging 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Additionally, he shot 54.0 percent from the floor and 38.0 percent from 3-point range.
With eligibility waivers being granted by the NCAA for winter sport athletes this past season due to lingering effects of COVID-19, Peter will enter ATU as a freshman with four years of playing eligibility.