Article By: Mark BrysonMurphy Burnatowski was just days away from representing Canada.
Then the blood tests came back.
Mononucleosis.
Once that 13-letter word was uttered on Wednesday morning, Burnatowski was packing up and heading home to Waterloo. His spot on Canada Basketball’s Development Men’s National Team was gone. A two-week trip to Europe for a series of exhibition games was gone with it.
“Oh man, I can’t describe what I’m feeling . . . it sucks,” Burnatowski said on Thursday.
“I still feel fine, which makes it even harder.”
The six-foot-seven forward from the University of Maine had locked up a roster spot with the development team that is currently working out at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Not only was he going to be making the July 17 to Aug. 2 trip to Belgium, England, Spain and the Netherlands, he was going to see significant playing time.
However, he’d been struggling with what he thought was strep throat. He’d taken medication and was feeling fine. No shortage of energy. Nothing. The blood tests were taken Saturday as a precaution.
But instead of crossing the Atlantic, Burnatowski has been told to shut it down for three weeks and relax.
“I have to lay low for a little bit, which is going to be hard because I don’t feel like lying low,” said Burnatowski, who turns 19 on Sunday.
Nineteen players had been invited to the Toronto camp to audition for 14 available roster spots. Following the eight-game tour of Europe, it was possible a player or players could be selected to stay on with the Senior Men’s National Team.
Burnatowski wasn’t the only one to be shocked with the diagnosis. National team coach Leo Rautins was stunned to find out and had the tough task of breaking the news to Burnatowski at Wednesday’s workout.
“There was just no indication he had mono; he was just tremendous,” said Rautins.
“It’s unfortunate because he played extremely well. We’re definitely going to be keeping an eye on him for the future.”
Burnatowski is a graduate of Canada Basketball’s National Elite Development Academy who spent two years at Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary School. He has represented Canada several times on the international stage, including last summer’s FIBA under-19 world championship in New Zealand.
Burnatowski earned himself an invitation to this week’s camp by impressing Rautins during voluntary workouts in April and May at York University.
He came every day, said Rautins, and impressed with his rugged style of play, determination and willingness to learn.
“Initially he wasn’t on the list, but through those workouts, I said I’ve got to give this guy an opportunity. And he came into camp here and played extremely well,” said Rautins.
Burnatowski enjoyed an outstanding freshman season at Maine. He was warming the bench at the beginning of the NCAA schedule on Nov. 13 against Fordham, seeing just three minutes of floor time. Just five games later, he was a Black Bears starter, playing 29 minutes against Colgate.
Maine finished with a 19-11 record after its season ended with an upset loss to New Hampshire in the American East quarter-finals.
Burnatowski finished the season averaging 21.8 minutes per game, averaging 6.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists.
(Retrieved From: http://news.therecord.com/Sports/article/746148)
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