Tommy Fernitz to represent USA basketball in Rio, Brazil

Friday, July 11, 2014

Tommy Fernitz (Sr., Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) has been invited to join the USA D-3 Men's Basketball Team as it travels to Brazil as part of a 10-day tour.

In all, 10 NCAA Division III student-athletes will represent the United States on the trip which starts in Orlando, Fla., on July 21.

The next day the team departs for Sao Paulo, Brazil, where it will play three doubleheaders with the D-3 Women's Team against area teams, July 23-25. On July 26th the team heads to Rio de Janeiro for a game on the 28th.

While in Brazil the teams will experience educational, cultural and social aspects of Brazilian life through city, school and sports club visits.

While in Rio the team will be staying on the famous Copacabana Beach and touring the Christ the Redeemer Statue and Sugar Loaf, two of the most recognizable landmarks in the world.

"This is an outstanding group of basketball players that come from 14 different state and 15 different colleges and universities from across the United States," Ron Smith, Director of USA Sports Tours & Events said.

"We feel that we have some of the best of the best representing almost every region in the country. This group of players has been high achievers both on the court and in the classroom. They represent everything good that the NCAA Division III institutions have to offer."

The 6-9 center earned second team all-district honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches in March after garnering first team all-North Coast Athletic Conference honors. He set a DePauw single-season record with 52 blocked shots last season and was just two rebounds shy of becoming the first DePauw player in 34 years to average a double-double when he finished with 14.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per contest.

Fans can follow the team and the tour on Facebook (USA Sports Tours and Events). For more information on the organization, please visit its official site.

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