Pitt head basketball coach Kevin Stallings will have a sizeable 2017 recruiting class. He’s already secured commitments from Fairfax (VA) Paul VI point guard Aaron Thompson and Tilton (NH) Tilton School power forward /center Terrell Brown. One of the three remaining scholarships will go to a versatile guard. On Wednesday, Coach Stallings and assistant coach Jeremy Ballard stopped in to visit Blair Academy (NJ) shooting guard Matt Turner (6-foot-4 inches, 180 pounds).
“I met with Coach Stallings and Coach Ballard today. They wanted to know where I was at in the recruiting process, asking me how I was, asking what schools I was considering and things like that,” said Turner (6-foot-4 inches, 180 pounds). “They wanted to make sure that I was still considering Pitt. We just got to catch up a little bit. Both coaches will be back to see me in a week.”
Turner has been offered scholarships by Pitt, George Washington, Virginia Tech, Saint Louis, Rutgers, Santa Clara, St. Joseph’s, Seton Hall, Rice, Fairfield and Quinnipiac.
When asked about his strengths on the basketball court, he replied, “I’m a very good shooter. I’m able to play the one or two spot, so people label me a combo-guard. I have pretty good size as well,” he said. “I can mix it up, I can score. I’m a multi-level shooter; I can hit the mid-range shot. I’m very good at getting my teammates involved as well. The fact that I can play both guard spots makes me versatile.”
Turner took an unofficial visit to Pitt in late August. He was asked about the visit and he stated, “I loved Pitt. I loved the facilities. I had a great first impression. The coaches are great. Coach Stallings is the man.”
“A lot of schools are recruiting me right now. There are schools that are promising immediate playing time and Pitt is one of them,” he said. “I would be in the first major class that Coach Stallings recruited and he trusts me. Pitt’s graduating four senior starters and the opportunity is wide open. That’s very attractive to me.”
Harry G. Psaros can be found on Twitter at @PittGuru
// Featured image: The Petersen Events Center by Flickr user sabreguy29 | CC BY 2.0
