Team Fredette overcame early struggles to win their first game in The Basketball Tournament, let by a standout performance from Jimmer Fredette.
It certainly wasn’t pretty at times, but it all worked out in the end.
Team Fredette, the No. 2 seed in The Basketball Tournament’s Midwest Bracket, took down the No. 15 seed Peoria All Stars 88-80, after trailing by double-digits in the first quarter.
The All Stars started the game hot, jumping out to an early lead that grew as high as 12, and they led 24-15 at the end of the first quarter.
Team Fredette rode a 13-2 second quarter run to get back into the game, pulling even with Peoria 44-44 at halftime.
The third quarter started much the same as the first, with the All Stars jumping out with six unanswered points, before Jimmer’s team struck back to keep the game withing striking distance. Peoria led 66-65 going into the final period, and Team Fredette wasn’t able to get any separation until halfway through the fourth quarter.
With just more than four minutes to play, Team Fredette’s Rashad James hit back-to-back three-pointers to put them by eight at 80-72. Peoria made a bucket to pull within six before the Elam Rule kicked in.
During The Basketball Tournament, all games end with the Elam Rule. During the first dead ball with less than four minutes to play in the fourth quarter, the clock stops and a target score is set. That score is seven points higher than the leading team’s score, and the first team to reach that target wins.
The target score became 87, but Team Fredette ended with 88 after James hit another three to end the game.
James finished the game with 14 points, including those three key three-pointers, but it was Jimmer Fredette who stole the show, scoring 32 points on 9-17 shooting. He made 3 of his 5 shots from beyond the arc and hit all 11 free throw opportunities. He also added 3 rebounds and 3 assists.
Not bad for his first real basketball game since the end of the Chinese Basketball Association’s season four months ago.
Brandon Davies added 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Charles Abouo finished with 3 points, 3 rebounds, and an assist.
It’ll be a quick turnaround for Team Fredette, as they’ll play the winner of No. 7 Zoo Crew and No. 10 Jackson TN Underdawgs tomorrow at 10am MT on ESPN.