2006 Paradise Jam Touted as the Best Field Ever

July 19, 2006

Paradise Jam website

The Xavier University Musketeers now know they will play Virginia Commonwealth on Friday, November 17 in the first round of the 2006 U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam at the University of the Virgin Islands. Xavier, 21-11 last season, won the 2006 Atlantic 10 Conference Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament while VCU recorded a 19-10 overall mark.

The organizers of the Paradise Jam have announced the complete bracket for the seventh annual event, which has increased its field from six to eight teams for the first time. Organizers are boasting this as not only their biggest field ever but clearly their best field ever. All games will be played at the state-of-the-art University of the Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.

Xavier will play either Villanova or the College of Charleston in the second round on either Saturday, November 18 (loser's bracket only) or Sunday, November 19 (winner's bracket only). Villanova finished 28-5 last season and reached the NCAA "Elite Eight" while Charleston finished 17-11. The other side of the bracket, which includes one team that XU will play on Monday, November 20, is led by a pair of 2006 NCAA Tournament teams in Iowa (25-9) and Alabama (18-13) in addition to Toledo (20-11) and Middle Tennessee State (16-12).

This is the just the third time that Xavier has played in a regular season tournament outside of the 50 U.S. states. XU won the 1992 Daiwa NCAA Ball Tournament in Tokyo, Japan, and participated in the 1998 Puerto Rico Shootout in San Juan.

In 2006, head coach Sean Miller led Xavier to both its ninth 20-win season and its ninth postseason tournament berth in the last 10 years. There is a long list of reasons for optimism for Miller, who is entering his third year at the helm at Xavier. Miller returns all five starters from the team that won the 2006 Atlantic 10 Conference Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. In fact, XU returns the top seven players that put together that championship run.

That returning-starter list includes senior forward Justin Cage, the 2006 Atlantic 10 Championship Most Outstanding Player and two-time A-10 All-Defensive Team selection and fellow senior forward Justin Doellman. They are expected to start for the fourth-straight season.

Xavier has a chance to have one of the best backcourts in the nation with the junior duo of Stanley Burrell and Drew Lavender. Burrell, a 2006 Atlantic 10 Conference Second Team selection, led XU in scoring each of his first two seasons as a Musketeer, including 14.4 ppg. as a sophomore to go with a team-high 105 assists (3.3 apg.). Lavender, a transfer who becomes eligible this season, was a two-year starter at point guard at Oklahoma and is a former prep McDonald's All-American and All-Ohio standout.

Another key to the Musketeer backcourt is sophomore Johnny Wolf, who started at point guard as a freshman. Miller is looking for a big junior year from forward Josh Duncan, who hopes to build on his progress from last season. Duncan was a big factor in Xavier's Atlantic 10 Championship season, earning A-10 All-Championship Team honors.

Team-by-Team Capsules

	Alabama Crimson Tide Head Coach: Mark Gottfried 2005-2006 Record: 18-13 Notes: Alabama heads to the Paradise Jam after making its fifth-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2005-06...The Crimson Tide advanced to the Second Round, falling to eventual national runner-up UCLA...Alabama returns four starters from last year: senior forward Jermareo Davidson, junior guard Ronald Steele, sophomore guard Richard Hendirx, and sophomore forward Alonzo Gee.
	College of Charleston Cougars Head Coach: Bobby Cremins 2005-2006 Record: 17-11 Notes: College of Charleston has a new face, but experienced face on the sidelines as Bobby Cremins takes the helm this season...Cremins -- the all-time winningest coach at Georgia Tech, will have four starters return to C of C: senior guard Dontaye Draper, sophomore forward Jermaine Johnson, and junior forward Josh Jackson.
	Iowa Hawkeyes Head Coach: Steve Alford 2005-2006 Record: 25-9 Notes: Iowa, the defending Big Ten Conference Tournament champ, earned a No. 3 seed in its second-straight NCAA appearance...The Hawkeyes ended their season with a stunning upset to Northwestern State on a buzzer-beater in the NCAA First Round...Coach Steve Alford returns senior starters Adam Haluska and Mike Henderson.
	Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders Head Coach: Kermit Davis 2005-2006 Record: 16-12 Notes: While only losing two starters, MTSU will look to a strong returning squad for some early-season success...6-4 senior guard Adam Vogelsberg was the Blue Raiders' leading scorer in 2005-06 and also an All-Sun Belt Conference selection.
	Toledo Rockets Head Coach: Stan Joplin 2005-2006 Record: 20-11 Notes: Toledo heads to the Paradise Jam coming off a 20-11 season and a loss in the MAC Tournament Championship game...Seniors Justin Ingram, Keonta Howell and Florentino Valencia will lead the Rockets, along with junior guard Kashif Payne.
	Virginia Commonweath Rams Head Coach: Anthony Grant 2005-2006 Record: 19-10 Notes: VCU is one of two Paradise Jam teams heading to the island with new coach -- Anthony Grant, who was the top assistant at Florida. XU fans should be familiar with Grant, who played for Dayton from 1983-87...Under former head coach Jeff Capel, the Rams were the highest-rated team to not receive a post-season bid...The Rams lost last season's leading scorer Nick George to graduation.
	Villanova Wildcats Head Coach: Jay Wright 2005-2006 Record: 28-5 Notes: Villanova made it to the NCAA Elite Eight lasting, falling in the Regional Final to the eventual-national champ Florida...Villanova returns two starters from last year's squad after losing three players to the NBA...The returning starters are seniors Mike Nardi and Will Sheridan, with high expectations placed upon them coming off last seasons remarkable success.

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