Turgeon Adds Turner to Stellar Recruiting Class
Nov 14, 2008 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 14, 2008
COLLEGE STATION -
Ray Turner of Houston has signed a national letter-of-intent to play college basketball at Texas A&M, Coach Mark Turgeon said Friday.
A 6-foot-8 forward from Jones High School, Turner is ranked No. 144 nationally by Rivals.com and is regarded as one of the top prospects in Texas. He averaged 16.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.5 blocks as a junior. Turner also was recruited by Oklahoma State, Memphis, Missouri, Marquette, Baylor, Nebraska and New Mexico.
"I got close to the players, the staff and the coaches, and A&M is close to home for my family members and my people to come see me," Turner said. "A&M is just a good fit for me. It's a beautiful campus, they have wonderful coaches, wonderful staff and great academics. Coach Turgeon is a humble guy, he's real calm and he's a great coach. I like how they run everything. They've got speed and I love to run, so I had to try to fit in that."
"We are really excited about having Ray Turner join our basketball family," Turgeon said. "Ray is a great kid who works hard on and off the floor. He is a versatile big man who can score inside and out and has great speed to run the floor and get some easy baskets. Defensively, Ray can guard multiple positions because he has strength and great feet, but his ability to rebound is what sets him apart. Ray is not afraid to do all of the dirty work. He has a big upside and is just now coming into his own as a player. Ray will be fun to coach because he is a great kid with great potential."
Turgeon signed three others players on Wednesday -- Naji Hibbert (Baltimore, Md.), Khris Middleton (North Charleston, S.C.) and Kourtney Roberson (Arcadia, La.), who are all ranked among the ntop's top 100 prospects by ESPN.com. The class is ranked as the 16th-best in the nation by recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons.
"Ray is the sleeper of the class," Gibbons said. "I believe that when his senior season is complete he could be a top 100 player in the country. Ray is a superb athlete with excellent court speed. He is a bit under the radar nationally but could end up being the player with the most potential in this signing class."
Additional Quotes About Ray Turner
Turner's Guardian and Youth Coach, Keith Perry
"One of Coach Turgeon's former players (Randy Burns from Wichita State) said `if it wasn't for Coach Turgeon, I wouldn't be the man I am today.' That was enough for me. That should sell every parent because coaches do influence the character of these young men. When your son leaves home, you're worried about him. You want to place them in the best hands that you can and after that day went by with Coach Turgeon's former player, now he's in his hands and I can rest at night. With his athleticism, people are going to have the wow factor, but he's still learning the game."
AAU Coach Terrul Henderson (Franchize All-Stars)
"It was a pleasure coaching Ray, he has made a big commitment to work hard and continue to improve his game. He is a super athlete who has really developed his game and worked on extending his game beyond the block. His upside is huge. He is a good kid that has what it takes to become a great player and productive student for Coach Turgeon and the Aggies."
Houston Recruiting Analyst Jim Hicks (RCS Sports)
"Ray is strong bodied and smooth basketball player. He excels in rebounding, shot blocking, and scoring in the short to mid-range. Ray has come into the game of basketball late. His best basketball is ahead of him and Mark Turgeon will help him develop into a great player."
