Xavier's Jackson to serve as USA Basketball court coach

Coach Dannton Jackson led Xavier to a 23-9 record in
2011-12  and was voted GCAC Coach of the Year.

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Dannton Jackson is one of four selected as a court coach for the 2012 USA Basketball Men's U18 National Team training camp June 5-7 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Jackson, South Carolina's Frank Martin, Chattanooga State's Jay Price and North Carolina Wesleyan's John Thompson will assist the national team coaching staff and the 24 players who will attend the training camp, which will determine the 12-member U.S. roster for the FIBA Americas U18 Championship in Brazil later in the month.

"It's an honor to be able to represent, first of all the NAIA, as well as Xavier and our country," Jackson said. "It will be an honor to work with some of the best coaches in the country, as well as some of the most talented under-18 players in the country. I’m looking forward to the experience and can't wait to get to work."

Jackson is 202-90 in nine seasons as Xavier's head coach with three Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season co-championships, seven 20-victory seasons and six appearances in the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship. His Gold Rush were 23-9 this past season, sharing the GCAC regular-season title with Tougaloo, qualifying for nationals for the second straight year and ranking 24th in the NAIA postseason coaches poll. Xavier is the only men's team in the NAIA or NCAA to rank in the top six in scoring defense in its division each of the past five seasons.

The U18 coaching staff consists of Florida's Billy Donovan, Gonzaga's Mark Few and VCU's Shaka Smart.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

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