Fontan Enjoys Miami Visit; USC Up Next

Former Fordham point guard Jio Fontan is back on the open market.

The 6-foot-1 former St. Anthony standout tripped to Miami this past weekend for his first visit since receiving a conditional release from Fordham that prohibits him from playing in the Atlantic 10 or in the tri-state area.

“The visit was great,” said Jorge Fontan, Jio’s dad. “The coaches were real professional. We spent pretty much all day [Saturday] touring campus, checking out classrooms, speaking to academic people. We got the full works on the tour.”

Fontan led Fordham in scoring (15.3 ppg) and assists (132) last season. He will have to sit out until  December 2010 after transferring.

Next up is a trip to USC, followed by a visit to Tennessee.

In a strange twist of fate, the Trojans will host the Vols Saturday afternoon at the Galen Center.

“He’ll be leaving on the 18th [for USC],” Jorge said. “That’s already set. I think he’s going to Tennessee right after that.”

Jorge said no date had yet been set for the Tennessee visit. The Vols have been actively recruiting New York-area players in recent months, landing Long Island forward Tobias Harris and also recruiting Bishop Loughlin forward JayVaughn Pinkston, who ultimately committed to Villanova.

Jorge said Kansas State and Oklahoma State are also involved but no visits have been set.

“If we have time we’re trying to visit whoever we got,” JOrge said. “We’re going to go out there and see what everybody has to offer.”

FREE THROWS

Penn coach Glen Miller was fired after an 0-7 start and replaced on an interim basis by former Penn standout Jerome Allen. Miller compiled a 45-52 record after taking over for Fran Dunphy in 2006. “This really is about a sense of direction and leadership,” Penn athletic director Steve Bilsky told the Philly Inquirer. “Where we were at this point indicated it was time to make a change and this was the best time to do it.”… Rutgers, Seton Hall, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame are the four Big East teams who weren’t in this year’s SEC/Big East Invitational. The event has one year left on its contract.

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