Jio Fontan is headed from the Atlantic 10 to the Pac-10.
The former Fordham guard committed to USC Monday morning after a weekend visit to the school.
“Yeah, I committed early this morning,” the 6-foot-1 Fontan said Monday afternoon. “I just came back last night.”
He must sit out a year as per NCAA transfer regulations before he can suit up for the Trojans in December 2010.
A Paterson, N.J., native, Fontan visited Miami and USC and was to visit Tennessee and Alabama, but he saw enough at Southern Cal to make the call.
The Trojans on Saturday upset No. 9 Tennessee, 77-55, behind 12 points and 10 assists from Charlotte transfer Mike Gerrity, making his Southern Cal debut.
“What I liked most was I liked the campus a lot,” he said. “I got a chance to speak to the coaches. Coach [Kevin O’Neill] said I got a chance to come in and play and major minutes right away because they’re losing the point guard [Gerrity] and the backup point guard.”
Fontan, who led Bob Hurley’s St. Anthony team to an undefeated 32-0 season in 2007-08, led Fordham in scoring (15.3 ppg) and assists (132) as a freshman, but parted ways with the school earlier this month. Fordham then fired head coach Dereck Whittenburg and replaced him on an interim basis with Jared Grasso.
Fontan said he plans to be on campus at USC for the start of classes in January.
“I’m really happy,” he said. “I think I made a great decision. I love California. I love the campus. Coach ‘KO’ is mad cool. I’m in the Pac 10.
“He told me to enjoy this Christmas break and then it’s time to get to business.”
(Photo courtesy Fordham Athletics)
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cthoopsfan / December 21, 2009
I don’t like the choice for Jio. USC is looking at an NCAA investigation, and they already have 7 guards on the roster for next year. They will most likely not be able to compete in the Tourney and he will struggle to get playing time. I wonder what his “advisors” are thinking!
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cthoopsfan / December 21, 2009
I forgot, he also loses a half year of eligability for the chance to play for the Trojans. Wow, it’s sad when kids get taken advantage of like that
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Avaricious / December 21, 2009
Great school, weather, and women
It’s not exactly that dump in the Bronx.
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cthoopsfan / December 21, 2009
Just saying…with schools looking at him like Tennessee, Indiana, and Alabama, I don’t see the point in going to Southern Cal, a program with a TON of question marks surrounding them.
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JessieWildcat / December 21, 2009
Congradulations to Joi and his camp.
He will enjoy his time in the sunny West.
ct ..just says what??
CT is not aware of what is going on at USC.
Let me ask U$C.Trojan…lol
The ncaa investigation will last acouple of years.
So, it will not impact Jio.
The advisors knew these facts.
If Joi can compete then, he will have a good time in LA-LA land.
KO is a hard nose coach (in the form of bobbie H.).
The school just beat Brucie Pearl.
ps- Bruce also like the ladies in LA LA land.
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cthoopsfan / December 21, 2009
I wish Jio the best. He’s a solid kid. I just don’t think he is making the best decision for his college basketball career. There are better programs to land at to develop his game. FYI the current investigation into USC was started in 2006, a decision could occur sooner than everyone thinks.
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JessieWildcat / December 21, 2009
Sooner….?
NOT even close.
You have no idea how football related to the investigation.
U must of missed the latest on Knight.
When Carrol leaves…then, it will be concluded.
Football >> bb ,at U$C
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cthoopsfan / January 3, 2010
Jessie,
USC just suspended themselves from post season play in 2009-2010, and is losing basketball scholarships. Like I said, he could have picked a better program to go to. I guess I might have know what I was talking about….
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JessieWildcat / January 3, 2010
Cthoops…
Like a said, the NCAA was not going to do anything to USC BB.
The penalities imposed by USC are very harsh.
Compare these to the whole Memphis-Cali fiasco.
Memphis still appealing the NCAA light penalities. Very light.
The USC penalities will NOT impact Jio.
Right.
When he comes IN, the sanctions are over.
What is WRONG with MEMPHIS and AD-Johnson??
What are they thinking?
The NCAA looks rather embarrassed by its handling of Memphis and Kentucky-Cali.
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JessieWildcat / January 3, 2010
This is for Memphis Official and Kentucky Officials…….
(PS- I wont get into your comments about Tennesse being a good school for Jio.)
“include a one-year ban on post-season competition following the 2009-2010 regular season, including the Pac-10 Conference basketball tournament; a reduction of one scholarship for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 academic years; a reduction by one of the number of coaches permitted to engage in off-campus recruiting activities during the summer of 2010, and a reduction in the total number of recruiting days by twenty days (from 130 to 110) for the 2010-2011 academic year.
In addition, because of Mayo’s involvement with Rodney Guillory, whom under NCAA rules became a USC booster due to his role in Mayo’s recruitment, USC will vacate all wins during the 2007-2008 regular season, which was when Mayo competed while ineligible. USC will also return to the NCAA the money it received through the Pac-10 Conference for its participation in the 2008 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament.
These self-imposed sanctions impact ….
**ONE year ban on Tournament. Transfers sit out one year.
Timing seems to be good?
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