National Basketball Association

Utah Jazz Players at Utah-BYU Game, Update on EuroBasket

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Multiple Utah Jazz players, including Gordon Hayward, were in attendance for the Utah-BYU rivalry game. Also, an update on former Jazzmen at EuroBasket qualifiers.

Utah Jazz wing Gordon Hayward is a Butler man through and through. He grew up less than 20 miles away from the school’s campus and, after starring for Brownsburg High, went on to become one of the greatest players in Bulldogs history. Hayward led the school to its first appearance in the NCAA Championship Game and was a rimmed-out, halfcourt heave shorting of winning the national title.

However, on Saturday, he was a Utah man.

Hayward, flanked by Jazz teammates Trey Lyles and Joel Bolomboy, was in attendance for the Utes’ rivalry bout with the BYU Cougars in a game known throughout college football as the Holy War. Not only that, but the Jazz star was draped in Utah crimson, leaving no doubt as to which side he was rooting for–

The trio was even shown on the video scoreboard at Rice-Eccles Stadium, a moment captured by The Salt Lake Tribune’s Aaron Falk–

Hayward, Lyles and Bolomboy at the BYU-Utah game. pic.twitter.com/KS6UAol6ud

— Aaron Falk (@tribjazz) September 11, 2016

Lyles also chronicled the moment on Instagram, reposting the picture with the caption: “Enjoyed my first Utah Utes football game! But I bleed blue!! #BBN.” Given the fact that he’s a Kentucky alum, we can probably forgive the particular brand of blue he bleeds. In any event, it was nice to see him flashing the U.

As a Utah man myself, I don’t mind telling you the Utes ultimately won the game 20-19 after stopping Cougars QB Taysom Hill short of the goal line on a two-point conversion attempt. It was the school’s sixth consecutive victory in the rivalry game.

And that’s probably enough trolling of Cougar fans for one day. Back to hoops.

More from Purple and Blues

Update on Former Jazzmen at EuroBasket Qualifiers

Teams continue to fight for spots in FIBA’s 2017 EuroBasket championship in a qualification tournament taking place right now. Among them are Jazz folk hero Kyrylo Fesenko and Ukraine, the recently traded Tibor Pleiss and Germany, as well as Andrei Kirilenko‘s Russian squad.

After Saturday’s wave of games, the Russians officially punched their ticket to the European championship with a 78-67 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The victory clinched a first-place finish in Group C and, in turn, the EuroBasket bid.

It was undoubtedly a big moment for Kirilenko. The former Jazzman was recently re-elected as the President of Russian basketball and has been charged with rebuilding a struggling national program.

Elsewhere, Ukraine aided their cause by defeating Bulgaria 72-67. Fesenko had a relatively quiet night, scoring just three points and grabbing five rebounds in 10 minutes of play. With the win, Ukraine improved to 3-1 in Group E.

Pleiss, meanwhile, did not play in Germany’s 106-102 loss to Denmark. The Germans currently hold a 2-2 record in Group B.

Day 5 of EuroBasket qualification will take place on Wednesday, September 14.

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