Sports

Friday, Aug. 29, 2008

Basketball recruit Anthony DiLoreto, who allegedly participated in a Wisconsin bank robbery, won’t be a Mustang

Cal Poly basketball recruit has cut ties with university

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In the wake of his bond release on charges of bank robbery and gun possession, a Cal Poly men’s basketball recruit decided to cut ties with the university Thursday, Cal Poly athletic director Alison Cone said.

Anthony DiLoreto — who prosecutors allege drove the would-be getaway car in a bank robbery in Danbury, Wis., earlier this month — was arrested in his family’s Minnetonka, Minn., home hours after the robbery.

According to the conditions of his bond, DiLoreto, an 18-year-old 7-foot center, could have come to San Luis Obispo to enroll at Cal Poly. On Wednesday, Mustangs coach Kevin Bromley told The Tribune if DiLoreto were his son, he’d advise him to stay home to face his charges.

“Kevin Bromley had some contact with Anthony’s family and his attorney (Thursday) and they have let us know that he is not going to attend Cal Poly,” Cone said. “He is going to stay with family and friends and deal with his current situation.”

Cone said regardless of the outcome of his court case, DiLoreto is no longer bound to the Mustangs but did not close the door in the event he is absolved of wrongdoing.

“We could do a mutual release on the letter of intent, and we’d be happy to do that,” Cone said.

“If the situation is that he didn’t do this, and the charges were incorrect, certainly Cal Poly would look at him, and I assume he would look at us again.”

DiLoreto allegedly drove a 16-year-old accomplice nearly two hours from their homes near the Minneapolis- St. Paul area and across the Wisconsin border with the plan to rob Bremer Bank in Danbury.

During the robbery, DiLoreto reportedly drove back to Minnesota and did not pick up the 16-year-old, who robbed the bank with a sawed-off shotgun he later told the police belonged to DiLoreto.

DiLoreto was allegedly seen committing a gas drive-off in the area around the time of the robbery and was witnessed entering the bank and talking to an employee about opening an account.

The 16-year-old was arrested walking back to Minnesota with the amount stolen from the bank, authorities said. He did not have the gun, which was recovered later, and implicated DiLoreto to police.

DiLoreto averaged close to eight points per game as a senior at Hopkins High. He helped lead the team to a 26-2 record.