US Virgin Islands Paradise Jam

The Paradise Jam An Island Basketball Tournament Tournament Background The U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam offers mens and womens college basketball teams a chance for excellent early season competition in an exotic island setting. Since the tournament’s inception in 2000, many of the nation’s finest mens and womens teams have converged on St. Thomas to test their skills and enjoy some fun in the sun. Since 2001, the tournament has been played at the 4,000-seat UVI Sports and Fitness Center. The first year of the tournament was played at Ivanna Eudora Kean High School, in anticipation of the completion of the state-of-the-art UVI facility in 2001. The UVI facility was praised as the best non-mainland tournament facility by several tournament head coaches. Billy Hahn, La Salle coach said, “I’ve been to Maui and San Juan and the U.V.I. venue is A#1 the best. The locker rooms and floor are great, it’s not even close!” Murry Bartow, who was the head coach of UAB in 2001, said, “The facility is unbelievable. Usually at [non-mainland] games not many people show up, but the atmosphere was really good.”