THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 19, 1995 TAG: 9501170147
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, COMPASS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 94 lines
RICARDO TREVISAIN used to love to watch NBA and college games on television back in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and dreamed of coming to the United States one day to play basketball.
Trevisain's dream came true in August when he moved in with Matt Schultz, a coach he had met at a summer camp, and transferred to Granby High School.
Now Trevisain, a 16-year-old 6-foot-9 center, is helping the Comets to their dream season - they're off to their best start since 1976 - with a 11-0 overall record and are 2-0 in the Eastern District. The Comets also rank third in South Hampton Roads.
``I saw the banner in the gym,'' said the junior, who speaks almost perfect English, with a slight accent. ``They tell me that this team is the best team since then. It makes me happy to know I'm a part of it.''
Granby coach Jim Harvey is sure glad that Trevisain is a part of the team, too.
``You hear all these rumors that someone is coming in and they never materialize,'' Harvey said. ``When he walked into the gym, I was just flabbergasted.
``But he's such a great kid that I didn't care if could play basketball. He's an added attraction to the team.''
Fortunately for the Comets, Trevisain can play basketball. In fact he has been since he was 8.
``My father took me out to a practice and said, `You're going to play basketball,''' Trevisain recalled. ``I told him I didn't want to, but he said, `You're going to play 'cause I tell you to play.' I was always three inches taller than everyone else. I started hating basketball. Then I started loving it and now I can't stop playing.''
He continued to play in school and for a club league called Einheiro. The rules are just about the same, except the key is cone shaped rather than rectangular. And, all inbounds plays start from the sideline even if the ball goes out near the baseline.
The last difference has given Trevisain the most trouble.
``The over-the-back thing, I didn't know about that,'' he said. ``They don't call that in Brazil. Now I get three or four fouls and I'm out of the game.''
Back at home, Trevisain wasn't the biggest man on the court. There were two other post players in front of him that left him to play the wing and the small forward positions.
``I used to play all positions down there,'' he said. ``Here it's more like concentrating on one thing. I think it's better to do one thing, and I'm learning different things. Coach Harvey is teaching me more advanced stuff.''
Added Harvey, ``He's just learning the American style of play. He will be a very good player. You can't teach 6-9. But he is picking up the intensity of basketball.''
Though Trevisain is learning more on the court, in the classroom he's somewhat bored.
In Brazil, students go to school during one of two shifts and take eight classes. Trevisain's schedule last year included physics, biology and chemistry where American high school students usually space those classes out over four years.
``You learn things faster in Brazil,'' said Trevisain, who got all A's and B's on his first report card at Granby. ``Here, I know everything.''
What he didn't know, however, was what the real America was like. At home, he had seen TV shows that depicted the United States as a land free of crime and hard times.
``There's things I'd see on TV, and it showed that everybody can live life really well,'' he said. ``That's what we heard anyway. In Brazil there's a lot of poverty and I didn't think that happened here.''
Even though he says things are a lot better in the United States, he misses his homeland and his family.
Especially his Mom's cooking.
``I miss Brazilian cuisine,'' said Trevisain, who now chows down on pizza and hot dogs. ``My Mom used to cook for me a lot. I used to eat beans and rice everyday. I eat a lot and hopefully I'll still be growing until I'm 21.''
Harvey hopes he'll grow even more, too - especially if Trevisain decides to stay on for next season.
Harvey says that colleges already are starting to take notice of the Comets' big man and have expressed interest. But that interest so far lies more in his potential than anything he has achieved at Granby.
Trevisain is averaging only four points per game with a high of eight against Oscar Smith.
``I love basketball,'' he said. ``I don't know many colleges yet, but I'm watching on TV.
``You know, coach Harvey, he likes UNC, though. He persuaded me to like UNC, too.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by PATTI WALSH
Ricardo Trevisain, a 6-foot-9, 16-year-old junior from Sao Paulo,
Brazil, has helped Granby get off an 11-0 start this season.
by CNB