Rutgers guard Mike Rosario and Fordham guard Jio Fontan will team up soon, but it won’t be for a college team as one local blog reported.
Instead, the two former St. Anthony standouts will play for Puerto Rico this summer in the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship for Men in Auckland, New Zealand. Sixteen countries will compete in the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship that will be held July 2-12.
Rosario’s mother is of Puerto Rican heritage and Fontan’s mother is half-Puerto Rican. [The two are pictured above, sandwiching current Pitt freshman Travon Woodall.]
“I don’t know where he got that [transfer rumor] from but one thing they are going to do is play for Team Puerto Rico,” said Jorge Fontan, Jio’s father.
Rosario and Fontan led St. Anthony to a 32-0 record and the Tournament of Champions crown last year.
Rosario, who led Rutgers and all Big East freshmen in scoring at 16.3 points per game, was named this year to the Big East All-Rookie Team. Fontan was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team after averaging a team-high 15.3 ppg and also dishing out a team-best 132 assists.
Puerto Rico is in a different group from the U.S. team, which has yet to be chosen.
Last summer under Davidson coach Bob McKillop, the U18 team reached the final of the U-18 World Championship in Formosa, Argentina. That team included UConn freshman Kemba Walker and Villanova-bound senior wing Dominic Cheek of St. Anthony.
Trials and team training for the U19 National Team will begin on June 16 at the United States Olympic Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., with approximately 20-25 of the nation’s top 19-and-unders, born on or after Jan. 1, 1990, competing for a roster spot.
The 2009 coaching staff and invitees for the USA U19 National Team Trials will be made at a later date.
