By his own admission, Jimmer Fredette did not play well in Team Fredette’s 99-89 win over the Jackson (Tenn.) Underdawgs Sunday in The Basketball Tournament, a $2 million winner-take-all event being contested this summer for any players who are not currently on NBA rosters.
But the former BYU star led all scorers with 30 points, and chipped in five assists and six rebounds in the second-round win at Columbus, Ohio. Fredette had 32 points in his team’s opening-round win on Saturday and is 22 of 22 from the free-throw line.
“I didn’t play very well today, but my team did a great job of picking me up and getting this win for us, so it was great,” Fredette said.
Team Fredette has advanced to the “Super 16” and will meet either Fort Wayne Champs or Illinois BC on Friday in Atlanta. That game tips off at 5 p.m. MDT and will also be televised by ESPN2.
Former Bowling Green star Jordan Crawford added 12 points and eight assists and Ra’Shad James of Northwood University chipped in 17 for Team Fredette.
“Jordan is unbelievable,” Fredette said. “I played with him in Westchester [New York] so I have known him for awhile. He is one of my great friends. Just a great teammate. He’s is very quick and athletic and can make moves. He is one of my favorite teammates I have ever played with.”
Fredette was just 9 of 22 from the field, but hit a 3-pointer to beat the halftime buzzer and get his team on track. For the second-straight game, Fredette was assessed a technical foul, this time for protesting a call too vehemently.
“Yeah, I am not a coach yet. Too nerve-wracking for me,” he said, after having coached in last year’s TBT. “ I like to be out there and have things in my own hands.
Organizers are using the “Elam Ending” in the tournament. It is designed to eliminate fouling at the end of games and ensures the final minutes are played at the same pace and flow as the rest of the game.
Under the rule, at the first dead ball after the four-minute mark of the fourth quarter, the game clock shuts off. A target score is set by adding seven points to the leading team’s score. The first team to hit the target score wins the game.
