The J-Notes
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Former Utah Jazz big men Evans, Cooley join TBT Super 16 fray

By Ryan Aston

DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 27: Jack Cooley #45 of the Utah Jazz shoots against the Denver Nuggets on February 27, 2015 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 27: Jack Cooley #45 of the Utah Jazz shoots against the Denver Nuggets on February 27, 2015 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Utah Jazz alums, including Jeremy Evans and Jack Cooley, are vying for their share of $2 million in The Basketball Tournament’s Super 16.

It pains me to say so, even now as it has dragged on for multiple weeks. Nevertheless, it remains an undeniable fact for Utah Jazz fans — we’re deep in the dog days of the basketball calendar. The NBA Finals, the draft and the fireworks of free agency are all distant memories; even the abomination that is summer league has wrapped.

What’s Jazz Nation to do? Well, if you ask me there’s an easy answer: check out The Basketball Tournament’s Super 16 this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. If you do so, you have a better-than-average shot at catching some notable former Jazzmen as they vie for their share of the tourney’s $2-million prize.

In the last few days alone, two popular former Jazz big men have signed on with squads for the stretch run. Namely, Jeremy Evans and Jack Cooley.

Evans, who still likes to re-trace the steps of his Junior Jazz trip through rural Utah, has signed on with Eberlein Drive. He spent five seasons with the Jazz from 2010 to 2015.

Along with former two-minute Jazzman Lou Amundson and Salt Lake City Stars sharpshooter Taylor Braun, his No. 7-seeded squad will look to upset No. 3 Gael Force in the West region.

You can catch that game on ESPNU on Saturday.

Cooley, meanwhile, is joining up with Utah hoops legend and former BYU star (wow, that was confusing) Jimmer Fredette as part of the Midwest region’s second-seeded squad, Team Fredette.

The 6-foot-9 big man appeared in 16 games for the Jazz during the 2014-15 season, and was also a fixture during summer league and the preseason.

Team Fredette’s bout with the No. 6 Fort Wayne Champs will air on Friday via ESPN2.

If you can’t wait for the weekend for those games, Eric Griffin has you covered. Griffin, who was the recipient of Utah’s first-ever two-way contract and spent extended time with the Stars last season, will be joining the South’s sixth seed, Team DRC.

Next. Jazz TBT: The day I boarded the Donovan Mitchell bandwagon. dark

They’ll be facing former Jazz point guard Eric Maynor and the region’s No. 2, Ram Nation. You can catch that game on Thursday night on ESPN 2.

It may be the dog days, but there’s still plenty of Jazz-tinged hardwood action to be had.

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