Canadian Officials: 30-Year-Old 6-Foot-9 African Man Played High School Basketball Posing As Teen

WINDSOR, Canada (CBSNewYork) -- Canadian authorities said a 6-foot-9 30-year-old African man posed as a teenager and played on his high school basketball team.

The Windsor Star reported the Canada Border Services Agency arrested Jonathon Nicola Wednesday for allegedly violating the Immigration Refugee Protection Act.

Nicola, who is in Canada on a student visa, told the Star in January that he left the war-torn South Sudan only three days before his 17th birthday last year.

"A few of my friends know of my background, how we live over there," Nicola said at the time. "I don't know how many of them have a clue of how it is in Africa."

Nicola had been playing basketball for Catholic Central High School while attending the school for the past six months.

"There's really not a whole lot to say," Stephen Fields, spokesman for the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board, told the Star. "Because of the fact this is a matter that's still outstanding before the federal authorities, obviously we can't really comment on it. Beyond that there's not a whole lot to say."

Nicola is currently being held at the South West Detention Center and will have a detention review before the Immigration and Refugee Board next week.

Fields told the Star that the school district has a "system of checks and balances in place" when international students come into their schools.

"… [W]e make sure that they have all of the necessary government documentation that they require in order to be in one of our schools," Fields said. "Again, generally speaking, if we felt at any time that there is any kind of threat to any of our students at any of our schools, then we would act appropriately."

Nicola was living with high school basketball coach Pete Cusumano through the Canada Homestay program, which helps find homes for international students.

Cusumano told the Star in January that he felt Nicola had a shot to go to the NBA.