By: Jay Yeomans

Published: December 23, 2018

Jimmer Fredette put on another offensive show, producing his second highest scoring game of the season on Sunday as the Shanghai Sharks fell to the Fujian Sturgeons, 106-95.

Fredette returned to the starting lineup in the hard-fought contest and delivered in a big way, finishing with 53 points on 17-for-36 shooting from the floor and a perfect 14-for-14 from the foul line. He added nine rebounds, three steals and a pair of assists in 43 minutes.

After scoring 23 points in the first half, the BYU legend picked up the scoring even more after intermission as the Sharks tried to keep pace with the balanced offensive attack of the Sturgeons.

He was especially impressive late in the third quarter as Fredette drilled back-to-back-to-back 3-point shots to turn a 13-point deficit into an eight-point game heading into the fourth.

Fredette added 17 points in the final period, but Fujian had an answer every time the Sharks made it interesting to come away with the 11-point win.

Xavier Mumford led the way for Sturgeons, registering 28 points on 10-for-19 shooting from the field and 7-for-8 from the foul line. He added 10 rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes. Andrew Nicholson also recorded a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds while Wang Zhelin chipped in with 14 points and 17 boards.

For Shanghai, Luis Scola was one of only two others to score in double figures, finishing with 17 points on 7-for-17 shooting from the floor and 2-for-6 from the line while adding a team-best 14 rebounds in 28 minutes. Luo Hanchen added 10 points, four rebounds and three assists.

After a strong start, the Sharks have dropped five of their last eight, including three of four on a tough road swing and now sit in an eighth place tie with the Sturgeons at 14-9.

On the season, Fredette is third in the CBA in scoring, averaging 38.7 points a night on 53 percent shooting from inside the arc, 42 percent from 3-point land and 95 percent art the free-throw line. He also contributes 6.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists while still topping the league in steals at 3.4 a night in 41 minutes.

Up next for Fredette and the Sharks is a Christmas night matchup with the slumping Bayi Rockets who are at the bottom of the CBA standings with just four wins in 23 games.

But that is to be expected from the Rockets who are the only team in the league who don’t have the benefit of import players. The league does make some allowances for the shorthanded squad, forcing opposing teams to only play their import players a combined 48 minutes.

Inside the numbers

• It was the 16th time in 23 games that Fredette has registered at least three steals
• The 36 field goal attempts tied his most shots in a game this season
• Fredette’s 14 makes at the foul line is tied for his most makes in the game this year without a miss
• Like his scoring output, Fredette’s nine rebounds were his second most in a game in 2018-19