BYU Cougars basketball legend Jimmer Fredette has made plenty of big shots in his career, but the one he hit Sunday had unique stakes.
Over the weekend, Fredette played for Team USA in the FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup 2022 tournament in Miami as he eyes a potential run to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, and on Sunday, he made the game-winning shot against Puerto Rico to lift the United States to the tournament victory.
The 3x3 format dictates that games are won when a team reaches 21 points or whichever one is leading after 10 minutes of play, with the scoring system being 1- and 2-point values instead of 2- and 3-point values.
With the USA leading 19-18, Fredette got a pass behind the 2-point line from Kareem Maddox off a rebound, rose up for a shot and sank it to give Team USA the 21-18 victory.
Team USA was the lone men’s squad to win all five of its games in the 18-team tournament over the weekend.
Last month, Fredette told The Post-Star in his native Glens Falls, New York, that he had gotten involved in 3x3 basketball with Team USA with an eye toward the 2024 Olympics after 3x3 debuted at the 2020 Games (that were held in 2021 because of the pandemic).
“Hopefully everyone will be prepared for the 2024 Olympics in Paris because that’s what I’m working for. Have everyone thinking about that on their radar,” he said.
Elsewhere in the weekend’s tournament, Fredette wasn’t the only player with Utah connections to star.
Former University of Utah women’s player Michelle Plouffe is considered the best 3x3 women’s player in the world, and she led Canada to the tournament win on the women’s side.
Canada beat Brazil for first place, while Team USA beat Colombia for third.