In Uruguay, Sebastian Gobba and Juan Pablo Silveira were rivals. Thousands of miles away from their homeland, the two are teammates at Mount Vernon — a small, private school in Murray, Utah.
With Uruguay in economic shambles, both ventured to the United States to see what it had to offer.
Gobba, 17, immigrated with his mother and sister to join his older brother, Max, who was working at a restaurant in Park City. The elder Gobba was here for several years and would send money back to his family. At the same time, he prepared for them to join him. Gobba's father died six years ago.
Silveira, 16, a son of a banker, was planning last year to attend high school somewhere in the United States as an exchange student, and when he heard Gobba was in Salt Lake City he decided to join him.
Gobba, 6-foot-8, came to Utah early in 2002, and tried to enroll at East High, but he didn't have the necessary paperwork to get in.
Officials at East directed him to Salt Lake Community College to find out more information on his options in attending high school. SLCC referred him to Mount Vernon.
Speaking little English, Gobba enrolled at the tiny private school last February. His friend and former rival, Silveira, 6-foot-3, joined him a few months later.
"It's a great experience," Gobba said. "It's a whole new way of life."
As youngsters, Silveira played club basketball in Salto (northern Uruguay), and Gobba played in the capital Montevideo (southern Uruguay). Their paths would occasionally cross when they played against each other. In those few meetings, they developed a unique bond that would eventually bring them together in the United States.
"I wanted to come to the United States," Silveira said. "I found out he was in Utah and wanted to play at the same school."
The Gobbas are Silveira's host family, and the two make the trip down from Park City every day. Both of their families work hard and sacrifice so each can meet their tuition obligations at Mount Vernon.
In the two months the two have adjusted to the American slow-tempo game, and they have turned the Patriots from an 8-15 team a year ago to a 5-3 team early this season.
"Every school has their niche. One of ours is accepting foreign exchange students," Mount Vernon coach Scott Lambson said,
The school has always accepted foreign students since opening its doors in 1976, but none have had the basketball impact as have Gobba and Silveira.
"They are the first two that have come through our program that have made a difference. We've never had players like this," Lambson said. "The next 200 (foreign exchange) students won't be able to."
Lambson said the two are accustomed to playing structured high school basketball and are dealing with different rules — mainly a shot clock. It has taken them some time to adjust their games.
After starting the year 1-2, the Patriots have won four of their past five. Against Bryce Valley, Silveira poured in a season-high 43 points.
Currently, Silveira, a junior point guard/shooting guard, is averaging 23.8 points a game, which is second best in Class 1A and third best of all classifications. Gobba is averaging 11.6 points a game.
As a team, the Patriots are scoring eight more points a game than they did last year.
"I think they are two of the best kids I have ever coached as far as discipline and what they put into the game," Lambson said. "They respect their teachers and their coaches."
The two said they will return to Mount Vernon for their senior seasons, and both hope to earn a scholarship to play basketball in college.
"They have spent a lot of time playing basketball," Lambson said. "They're skilled."
E-MAIL: jhinton@desnews.com