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This Day In Sports…February 4, 2020, five years ago today:
On his first three-point attempt of the night, three minutes into a 67-62 win at Wyoming, Boise State senior Justinian Jessup connects to become the Mountain West’s career leader in threes. Jessup surpassed former BYU star Jimmer Fredette, who had 296 makes from beyond the arc from 2007-11. Fredette put up 752 three-point attempts in his college career—it took Jessup 730 tries to reach the mark. Earlier in the season, Jessup had become the Broncos’ all-time leader, breaking Anthony Drmic’s record of 275.
Jessup finished his career with 325 three-pointers. The record still stands, but it was in jeopardy as soon as it was set. Jessup played for the Broncos from 2016-20, the exact same span as Utah State sharpshooter Sam Merrill. In early March, the Aggies won the Mountain West Tournament (with Merrill as tourney MVP after he hit a deep three-pointer with 2.5 seconds left to beat San Diego State). USU was headed to the NCAA Tournament, and Merrill had 319 career threes after making six against SDSU. Boise State, meanwhile, was 20-12 and was on the bubble for the NIT.
There was always a chance that Boise State would miss the NIT, giving Merrill a shot at breaking the still-new record. Merrill would have been capable of making six three-pointers in the Big Dance, even if Utah State lasted only one game, as he was shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc. But five days after the MW Tournament ended, COVID 19 hit full force, and the sports world shut down. The NCAA Tournament was canceled (as was the NIT), and Jessup’s record stood.
Jessup, the quiet 6-6 guard from Longmont, CO, with the sweet left-handed jumper, lived in Boise for two years during elementary school and played on the Hoops Dreams club team founded and coached by former Boise State star and current assistant Roberto Bergersen. Jessup went on to become a two-time all-state selection at Longmont High and was state 4A Player of the Year in Colorado as a junior. As a Bronco, he started from the get-go as a true freshman and played in 129 games.
Jessup was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors and went to Australia to prep for an NBA shot as part of the Next Stars program, spending two seasons there with a stint on Golden State’s Summer League team in between. The NBA dream hasn’t happened for him, though. Since then, Jessup has played in Spain and New Zealand. He is currently playing for Ratiopharm Ulm of the Basketball Bundesliga in Germany.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra. He also anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK and one on News/Talk KBOI. His Scott Slant column runs every Wednesday.)
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