BYU's Fredette holds own with scouts on hand

Scouts for 19 NBA teams crowded into the Marriott Center Saturday to see a slugfest between No. 6 Wake Forest and BYU.

They got their show.

While most were perched to evaluate most of Wake Forest's starting five including guard Jeff Teague, nobody could ignore the playmaking of Cougar sophomore point guard Jimmer Fredette, who more than held his own and may have led everyone on the floor in plays tailored for a highlight reel.

The Deacons came back from a nine-point second half deficit to clip the Cougars 94-87. BYU had 3-point shooters Lee Cummard, Jackson Emery and Jonathan Tavernari go cold in the final four minutes, a spell that doomed coach Dave Rose's team from holding on to the nation's longest win streak.

If the streak had to burn, it might as well be to Wake Forest, a loaded club that didn't disappoint.

Teague and Fredette put on a show for most the game.

"Fredette is a great point guard," said Teague, who got an earful at the half when Fredette consistently drove the lane for finger roll shots and close-range, one-handed runners, setting both Teague and Deacon Ismael Smith on their heels.

Teague countered with a nice floater shot that was deadly.

"Wake Forest's speed and quickness is off the charts," said Fredette, "and they really proved that here tonight."

In the first 20 minutes, Fredette's line read 7-of-11 shooting, 3 of 5 from beyond the arc, five assists, five turnovers and a steal. Teague, who was the player of choice to watch by scouts, made 6-of-8 shots, 1 of 2 from 3-point range, 16 points, two assists and one turnover.

The NBA folks, led by Danny Ainge, president of basketball operations for the world champion Boston Celtics, included most of the Utah Jazz staff and representatives from Atlanta, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Indiana, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Orleans, the New York Knicks, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento and the Washington Wizards.

Fredette, who tied a career high with 23 points and nine assists, brought the house down on a driving hook shot over 7-foot Deacon center Chas McFarland with 19 seconds left in the first half. Fredette's move drew a foul, which McFarland protested loud enough to earn a technical. With a pair of technical free throws from Cummard and his own "and one," it turned out to be a five-point play that pushed the Cougars to a 49-45 with 19 seconds left in the first half.