Gold Rush announce signing of three student-athletes

From left:  XU assistant coach Alfred Williams, signees Troy Salvant,
Josh Freeman and Jacques Johnson and head coach Dannton Jackson.

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana announced Friday the signing of three student-athletes for men's basketball: Troy Salvant of Marrero, La., Josh Freeman of Chicago and Jacques Johnson of Ridgeland, Miss.
    
Salvant will be a freshman with the Gold Rush in 2014-15. Freeman and Johnson will be juniors.
    
Salvant is 25 years old and spent the past seven years in the Army, including 12 months during the Iraq war, and reached the rank of sergeant. A 6-foot-1 shooting guard, Salvant averaged 19.5 points per game as a senior at L.W. Higgins High School, where he graduated in 2007 and led the Hurricanes to the Class 5A state playoffs.
    
Former XU standout Wanto Joseph played against Salvant in high school. He recommended Salvant to XU head coach Dannton Jackson.
    
Freeman, a 5-10 point guard, is a transfer from Chicago's Kennedy-King College, a two-year school where he averaged 9.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game this past season. Freeman made 36.4 percent of his 3-pointers and 80.4 percent of his free throws. As a senior at Harold L. Richards High School in Oak Lawn, Ill., Freeman averaged 14 points per game and was all-conference.
    
Johnson, a 6-3 small forward, is a transfer from East Central Community College in Decatur, Miss. Johnson averaged 15.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game this past season and was selected second-team all-state in the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges. He was an MACJC all-star and was chosen East Central's MVP. As a senior at Provine High School in Jackson, Miss., Johnson averaged nine points per game.
    
Xavier's Gold Rush were 23-9 this past season, won the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season championship for the third consecutive year and qualified for the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship for the fourth straight season. Xavier ranked 16th in the coaches postseason poll.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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