Wyoming's basketball team took the commitment of Florida scoring machine Eric Turner Wednesday afternoon. The 6-foot-7 Turner averaged 24 points, seven rebounds and three assists per game last season for his high school team, and turned seven other schools in committing to Wyoming.
"It was yesterday in my coach's office at the school with Coach (Larry)Shyatt, and Coach (Allen) Edwards, my father, and my AAU coach. The night before I knew I was going to commit. We were in there talking for an hour and when we were done I told them I was going to commit to the University of Wyoming.
"Everyone was really excited," he said. "A lot of high-fives and hugs."
Turner visited Wyoming on August 1st and said he enjoyed what he saw, especially the way the entire team had a family feel to it. That feeling was magnified this summer as Turner's friend Andrew Moemeka committed to Wyoming, and Turner met fellow Wyoming commit, Austin Conway, on the AAU circuit.
"What I liked was everyone being together as one - the team, the coaches, it made it seem like they were a family," Turner said. "Me and Andrew grew up playing against each other and me and him are already good friends. I have met Austin Conway this summer on the AAU circuit and he was a good guy. When we were on our visit we were playing together in the gym and we seem like we were playing pretty nice together."
Turner said the Wyoming coaching staff sees him as a player who can have an impact on Wyoming early in his career as a slashing scorer. Turner said he is willing to put in the time to make that prediction come true.
Turner held scholarship offers from Wyoming, Florida International, East Carolina, Houston, George Mason, Texas Tech, UNC-Charlotte, and Tennessee Tech. He said it was Wyoming's tenacity in recruiting him that landed his services.
"Some colleges when they recruit you it is an assistant calling 24-7. At Wyoming it is the whole coaching staff recruiting from the top dog to the little puppy, everyone recruits you."
Eric Turner
"It was yesterday in my coach's office at the school with Coach (Larry)Shyatt, and Coach (Allen) Edwards, my father, and my AAU coach. The night before I knew I was going to commit. We were in there talking for an hour and when we were done I told them I was going to commit to the University of Wyoming.
"Everyone was really excited," he said. "A lot of high-fives and hugs."
Turner visited Wyoming on August 1st and said he enjoyed what he saw, especially the way the entire team had a family feel to it. That feeling was magnified this summer as Turner's friend Andrew Moemeka committed to Wyoming, and Turner met fellow Wyoming commit, Austin Conway, on the AAU circuit.
"What I liked was everyone being together as one - the team, the coaches, it made it seem like they were a family," Turner said. "Me and Andrew grew up playing against each other and me and him are already good friends. I have met Austin Conway this summer on the AAU circuit and he was a good guy. When we were on our visit we were playing together in the gym and we seem like we were playing pretty nice together."
Turner said the Wyoming coaching staff sees him as a player who can have an impact on Wyoming early in his career as a slashing scorer. Turner said he is willing to put in the time to make that prediction come true.
Turner held scholarship offers from Wyoming, Florida International, East Carolina, Houston, George Mason, Texas Tech, UNC-Charlotte, and Tennessee Tech. He said it was Wyoming's tenacity in recruiting him that landed his services.
"Some colleges when they recruit you it is an assistant calling 24-7. At Wyoming it is the whole coaching staff recruiting from the top dog to the little puppy, everyone recruits you."
Eric Turner
