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Princeton University Athletics
Rocca, Italians To Face USA in FIBA World Championship on Wednesday
August 22, 2006 | Men's Basketball
Former Princeton men's basketball standout Mason Rocca '00 and the Italian National Team will face the United States on Wednesday in Sapporo, Japan, in a matchup of the remaining two undefeated teams in Group "D" at the 2006 FIBA World Championship.
Game time is 6:30 a.m. Eastern Time (7:30 p.m. local time), and the game will televised live on ESPN2. Each team is 3-0 in pool play after Italy's close win over Senegal and the USA's win over Slovenia on Tuesday.
Rocca and the Italians have defeated China (84-69), Slovenia (80-76) and Senegal (64-56) so far in pool play. He had five points, six rebounds and four assists in 22 minutes in the win over the Chinese, four points in 14 minutes in the win over Slovenia and team highs of seven rebounds and four assists in Tuesday's victory over Senegal.
The Italians will finish Group D pool play Thursday against Puerto Rico. The Azzurri did not qualify initially for the FIBA World Championship after faltering in the 2005 European Championships but were awarded one of four "wild card" entries to the championship by FIBA.
Rocca, a 6-8, 200 lb., Evanston, Ill., native who became a naturalized Italian citizen in 2002, has spent the last five seasons playing professionally in Italy, including the last two seasons as a key performer with Carpisa Napoli of the Italian first division. He previously spent three seasons playing with Jesi in Italy's Legadue.
A Princeton team captain in 1999-2000, Rocca helped the Tigers to two NCAA tournament appearances and two NIT berths during his career. His 18 rebounds against Georgetown in a memorable NIT win against Georgetown in 1999 were the most rebounds in a game by a Princeton player since Bill Bradley had 21 against Columbia 34 years earlier.