By Dustin Dow
Enquirer staff writer
Rebounding has not been a pressing concern at Xavier University in recent years.
But in the absence of players such as David West and Romain Sato, Xavier coach Sean Miller must develop suitable replacements. A Xavier player has finished in the top five in rebounding in the Atlantic 10 Conference in each of the past seven seasons.
Junior transfer Brian Thornton is expected to play a primary rebounding role, but Miller also wants to see more on the boards from the Justins, sophomores Justin Doellman and Justin Cage.
Miller envisions enhanced roles for both of the returning starters, but especially in the area of rebounding, where Xavier has one of its biggest voids to fill. The Musketeers lost 51.2 percent of their rebounding from last season, and Doellman is the top returnee, having grabbed 3.6 rebounds a game in 2003-04.
"That puts a lot of pressure on young players in our program in that area," Miller said. "The thing that would help our team more than any single skill would be an increase in productivity rebounding. In Justin Cage's case, that may mean going from doing it well to becoming one of the better players in our league at his position. In Justin Doellman's case, it means taking something that he didn't have to do a lot of a year ago, and now he's got to become solid."
RAYMOND ON CAMPUS: Toledo St. John's senior B.J. Raymond visited campus during the weekend. Raymond has orally committed to Xavier.
CHRISTIANSEN ON SCHOLARSHIP: All 13 of XU's scholarship slots are filled, because former walk-on Keenan Christiansen earned a scholarship for this season.
A junior, Christiansen was granted the scholarship for one season only because Xavier is already at its scholarship limit for 2005-06.
"It was one of my goals to try to get a scholarship," Christiansen said. "(Miller) called me up and said there was an open spot and he felt I deserved it. ... It was like I proved it to myself that I could do it. I'm glad I stuck with it."
TICKETS: Xavier has full season-ticket packages and six-pack ticket packages for sale by calling the ticket office at (513) 745-3411, ext. 7. Season tickets start at $248 each, and six-packs start at $96.
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E-mail ddow@enquirer.com
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