Rotorua’s Elijah Fonotia pursues US basketball dream at American college

Elijah Fonotia has always dreamed of going to America to play basketball and has explored going to high school in the States. Photo / Supplied

A young Rotorua basketballer hopes to take his sporting dream to the next level as he commits to junior college in the US.

Former Rotorua Boys’ High school student Elijah Fonotia graduated from the Boys’ Latin School of Maryland on a full academic scholarship last month after moving to the US in 2023.

The 18-year-old’s next steps are Harford Community College in Baltimore, Maryland, where he hoped to take his basketball dream to the next level.

He told the Rotorua Daily Post he had always dreamed of going big in the sport and the American high school path was the right step.

“I never had that fight in me, so I learned playing against kids whose life was either basketball or nothing. I had to have the same mentality.

“I knew that this was where I needed to be.”

Fonotia said his opponents had proved more athletic than him, meaning he had to up his game physically. He worked hard to get quicker on his feet both offensively and defensively.

Elijah attended Boys' Latin in Maryland for two years and has committed to Harford Community College on a partial athletic scholarship. Photo / Supplied

“I’ve matured a lot from this high school experience, and wherever it takes me, I just want to play for as long as I can and continue to have fun.”

New Zealand basketball scouting agent Stevie Cozens played a major part in helping Fonotia pursue international basketball.

He said Fonotia had always been a hard worker and that his journey was a “success story”.

“I work with a lot of players across New Zealand, and Elijah has some of the highest levels of work ethic out of the athletes that I help.”

Fonotia’s mum Julia Fonotia said they were initially planning for a US college but were presented with a high school opportunity.

Boys' Latin headmaster Chris Post with Elijah Fonotia after Fonotia graduated from Boys' Latin in early June. Photo / Supplied

She said Fonotia had always wanted to play in the US and had goals to play professionally overseas.

“None of this would have happened without Elijah’s commitment and character, without Stevie, and without the support of so many friends, family, and strangers who helped us.”

Julia said it was the best thing they could have done for her son.

“Two years in a high school setting has given him a good grounding culturally, educationally, and with basketball in the States,” she said.

Boys’ Latin Maryland headmaster Chris Post said Fonotia was their first Kiwi graduate and had made an “incredible” impression on the community.

“Universally, one word encompasses him: joy. He finds it, shares it, and exudes it each and every day.”

Post said Fonotia’s perspective and worldview helped open the eyes and raise the sights of his classmates to the opportunities available around the world.

“The legacy he will leave here at Boys’ Latin is truly one of a kind.”

Fonotia is going to Baltimore in August, and his family are working hard to fund housing and other amenities through Givealittle.

Kaitlyn Morrell is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.