Josiah Turner uh oh not a good rumor

[Russ Smith]

He is not going to Findlay. He probably won't transfer anywhere. Makes no sense to transfer when there is less than 5 months left of high school. He'll probably just concentrate on finishing high school and getting to the UofA.

Well according to the story he IS transferring, he's leaving the school tomorrow. So he may well concentrate on his academics somewhere else but apparently not at Sac High.

This is about his 5th HS. Freshman year at Cordova, soph year at Sac. Junior year he applied at both Pleasant Grove and Sheldon, enrolled at Sheldon, and then 8 days later went back to Sac when informed he wouldn't be eligible to play at Sheldon(because his transfer was athletically motivated). So if he goes to another school it's number 5.

If he winds up at a prepschool that would pretty much confirm it's about academics, this is a kid who told everyone this summer he wanted to win a state title to put Sacramento on the map for HS basketball in California.

Definitely something is up though, you don't transfer from HS in January of your senior year and not tell your coach(and Dean of Students) why you're leaving.

 

[Lefty]

Well according to the story he IS transferring, he's leaving the school tomorrow. So he may well concentrate on his academics somewhere else but apparently not at Sac High.

This is about his 5th HS. Freshman year at Cordova, soph year at Sac. Junior year he applied at both Pleasant Grove and Sheldon, enrolled at Sheldon, and then 8 days later went back to Sac when informed he wouldn't be eligible to play at Sheldon(because his transfer was athletically motivated). So if he goes to another school it's number 5.

If he winds up at a prepschool that would pretty much confirm it's about academics, this is a kid who told everyone this summer he wanted to win a state title to put Sacramento on the map for HS basketball in California.

Definitely something is up though, you don't transfer from HS in January of your senior year and not tell your coach(and Dean of Students) why you're leaving.

I did not read the article because it makes no sense to transfer when you have one and a half semesters left of school. It could be something personal between him and the coach. Even if it is, why transfer? Finish out the academic year and graduate.

 

[Russ Smith]

I did not read the article because it makes no sense to transfer when you have one and a half semesters left of school. It could be something personal between him and the coach. Even if it is, why transfer? Finish out the academic year and graduate.

I agree it makes no sense but according to his mom that's exactly what he's doing, transferring.

My take earlier was he probably broke a team rule and got suspended, I would still assume that's the case. then he compounds it by not showing up to the game(apparently Swafford the coach didn't know he wasn't coming) and then doesn't show up Monday for practice. So yes I agree it's something with him and the coach but it appears that something is he didn't like being disciplined for whatever he did to get in trouble in the first case.

The weird thing is apparently they gave Swafford no indication where he was going. Aside from coaching he's also a Dean of Students at Sac High so Swafford would have direct knowledge of any request for transcripts which would typically be needed to transfer.

 

[Russ Smith]

Dave Telep on Turner:

"Prelim Research re Josiah Turner: altercation at school, couldn't play/go to game. Grades aren't issue; rumors about overseas just rumors."

This came out before it was known he was leaving Sac High.

 

[Russ Smith]

Sac Bee now reporting he's still enrolled at Sac High and told the coach he wants to stay but the coach told him there will be consequences for his actions, he might not play right away.

Mom had no comment to the Bee after saying yesterday they were leaving.

Bee said there were 2 stories, one the mom wants him to "be a bigger scoring threat than he is allowed to be at Sac High, two that he's having trouble in school but the writer(not Paterson) said that the coach insists he's currently passing all his classes.

So who knows what's happening.

 

[Russ Smith]

Just doesn't stop. Today Miller was asked about rumors that UA played a hand in Turner deciding to stay at Sac High and he declined to comment said it would be unfair to Josiah for him to do so.

he was also asked about local rumors Turner's mom wanted his scoring average to go up to increase his chances of playing in the McD's game, and Miller said he couldn't comment but that it was not unusual for elite players to change schools.

Weird story, he's still there as of now.

 

[Lefty]

Just like I thought, Turner is not going to another school. Made no sense to leave that late in the year.
http://azstarnet.com/sports/basketb...cle_fb48252b-9e3c-5222-aede-47869c3214a4.html

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Just doesn't stop. Today Miller was asked about rumors that UA played a hand in Turner deciding to stay at Sac High and he declined to comment said it would be unfair to Josiah for him to do so.

he was also asked about local rumors Turner's mom wanted his scoring average to go up to increase his chances of playing in the McD's game, and Miller said he couldn't comment but that it was not unusual for elite players to change schools.

Why is Sean Miller not commenting weird? It wouldn't help anybody if he got involved.

Josiah just needs to get the stupid SAT score and get his ass down to Tucson. That's what everyone in the whole situation wants.

 

[Russ Smith]

Why is Sean Miller not commenting weird? It wouldn't help anybody if he got involved.

Josiah just needs to get the stupid SAT score and get his ass down to Tucson. That's what everyone in the whole situation wants.

No I mean the whole story is weird. The coach says he still doesn't know why Doris Ward wanted him to transfer, she just said they wanted to go a new direction.

Apparently Josiah wasn't in agreement and he is now staying but the whole story is odd that it got that far that he skipped a game and practices.

Staying at Sac High was the best for all involved it will be interesting to see what Swafford does. They're playing Bishop O'Dowd in a big tourney in a day or two, that's Brandon Ashley and Richard Longrus so it would really change the game if Turner's not playing, but Swafford said there would be consequences.

He also has a February game on ESPN against Lincoln of San Diego and Norman Powell that I really want to see.

 

[Russ Smith]

Daily Star says Turner's AAU coach Derrick Artis said he thinks they may be concerned that his lower scoring average this year is hurting his chances of making the McD's AA game. They're pulling him out in big wins this year so he's not scoring as much.

Don't know if he's the source of that rumor or just commenting on it because its' being said in Sac papers that is one of the reasons he wanted to leave.

 

[Russ Smith]

Just like I thought, Turner is not going to another school. Made no sense to leave that late in the year.
http://azstarnet.com/sports/basketb...cle_fb48252b-9e3c-5222-aede-47869c3214a4.html

Well unfortunately that's not the end of the story as Sac High announced they have permanently removed Turner from the basketball team.

http://blogs.sacbee.com/preps/archives/2011/01/its-official-jo.html

Said he remains in school and still wants to keep his academics up and qualify for UA but he is no longer a member of the team and will not be reinstated due to violating athletic team rules and regulations.

Really sucks for Sac High this essentially takes a team that had a good shot at a State title and drops them well down just because of one kid. It's tough for me to blame an 18 year old kid when I know perfectly well much of this is on the mom but it's really unfair to his teammates.

 

[Russ Smith]

If it's Wednesday Josiah must be in North Carolina. They just announced he's transferring to Quality Education Academy in North Carolina which apparently just added a basketball team fairly recently since this is the 3rd year they've ever had a team and the 3rd year they've had 11th and 12th graders. Used to be K-10 from what I just googled.

I guess they're not all diploma mills but it sort of makes it look again like Turner is concerned about qualifying and wants to pick a school where that will happen, apparently they've graduated 100% of their seniors the last 2 years all to colleges on scholarship so it sounds a lot like Findlay where kids come in with iffy grades and walk out with a basketball scholarship.

 

[AzStevenCal]

If it's Wednesday Josiah must be in North Carolina. They just announced he's transferring to Quality Education Academy in North Carolina which apparently just added a basketball team fairly recently since this is the 3rd year they've ever had a team and the 3rd year they've had 11th and 12th graders. Used to be K-10 from what I just googled.

I guess they're not all diploma mills but it sort of makes it look again like Turner is concerned about qualifying and wants to pick a school where that will happen, apparently they've graduated 100% of their seniors the last 2 years all to colleges on scholarship so it sounds a lot like Findlay where kids come in with iffy grades and walk out with a basketball scholarship.

Yeah, well, at least there's no warning bells going off or anything. Maybe the kid is just going to transfer from school to school in order to ditch his mother. I'm starting to think he'll never play for Miller.

Steve

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

He'll be in Tucson before it hits 100 degrees down there.

 

[Russ Smith]

Yeah, well, at least there's no warning bells going off or anything. Maybe the kid is just going to transfer from school to school in order to ditch his mother. I'm starting to think he'll never play for Miller.

Steve

Honestly feel sorry for the kid he's listening to the wrong people and in the process he's really tarnished his image at home. He let the whole team down and a lot of other people by bailing on Sac High. I know in the end the coach removed him from the team but he had very little choice. If you read Marcos Breton's story in the Bee he directly quotes the coach saying that Josiah needs to be taught some humility and civility, in other words when informed he was going to be held accountable for his actions(skipping games and practices) he and his mom didn't react well and that led Swafford to take those actions.

People are piling on Swafford on the Bee's website, that school sucks, he kicks his best player off, he's racist(he's black) etc.

In the end Turner is an 18 year old kid whose career has been manipulated by adults since he played at the Rumble By the Bay event in the summer after his freshman year and someone decided he'd be better off at Sac High than Cordova.

I hope he gets to Arizona and can put all those other people aside and just concentrate on school and basketball and forget all the other nonsense.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Not saying Josiah has no wrongdoing here, but who is the one being a headcase here? The student athlete who has not publicly commented on anything in a month or the coach who keeps feeding info to the media and soap box yelling about a 17 year old kid who's been off his team since the middle of December?

I'm not concerned with this. Places like Quality Education and Findlay are simply basketball factories designed to prepare kids to play division I college basketball both athletically and academically. There's no distractions from crazy family members, agenda-driven AAU or high school coaches, or entourage members and other hangers-on trying to pick up some crumbs. It's hoops and school over and over again every day. I'm beginning to think most top-flight HS athletes should be funneled into places like this assuming they are actually getting the schooling.

 

[Russ Smith]

Not saying Josiah has no wrongdoing here, but who is the one being a headcase here? The student athlete who has not publicly commented on anything in a month or the coach who keeps feeding info to the media and soap box yelling about a 17 year old kid who's been off his team since the middle of December?

I'm not concerned with this. Places like Quality Education and Findlay are simply basketball factories designed to prepare kids to play division I college basketball both athletically and academically. There's no distractions from crazy family members, agenda-driven AAU or high school coaches, or entourage members and other hangers-on trying to pick up some crumbs. It's hoops and school over and over again every day. I'm beginning to think most top-flight HS athletes should be funneled into places like this assuming they are actually getting the schooling.

I think it's a big assumption to assume they are getting the schooling. I read an article yesterday about 2 of the kids on that team going to St Johns and concerns that they will have trouble qualifying at St Johns. Apparently there's some concers about their transcripts, that's not the first such school they've been at so maybe turner won't have the same issue, but it doesn't appear in this case they're confident they're actually getting schooling there.

I hope it works out but I do think it's a shame that when Turner should be thinking about playoffs, section and state titles and then asking his mom to help him pick out a tux for the senior prom he'll instead be in North Carolina.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

That's such a nostalgic view on things. I can almost guarantee Josiah and his Mom care a helluva more about going to UA and eventually getting into the NBA than they do the California playoffs or his prom tux. It's basketball 24/7 these days for kids of his caliber and honestly traditional high schools in almost every situation take the back seat.

Regardless, Sean Miller wants him at Quality Education and he knows more than anyone in this situation about that school, Josiah's background, his grades, SAT scores, etc. I'll trust his opinion on the matter that this is best for the kid and his program.

 

[Russ Smith]

That's such a nostalgic view on things. I can almost guarantee Josiah and his Mom care a helluva more about going to UA and eventually getting into the NBA than they do the California playoffs or his prom tux. It's basketball 24/7 these days for kids of his caliber and honestly traditional high schools in almost every situation take the back seat.

Regardless, Sean Miller wants him at Quality Education and he knows more than anyone in this situation about that school, Josiah's background, his grades, SAT scores, etc. I'll trust his opinion on the matter that this is best for the kid and his program.

I sort of wondered if there was a connection with Arch Miller and the school since he was at NC State but even that was before the school existed (the basketball program that is).

It probably is nostalgic but he's an 18 year old kid, I don't think it's in his best interests for his mom to manage his career as if he's Kobe Bryant. I've seen the kid play he'll be a terrific college player but he's not IMHO a one and done talent, he actually needs time and development in college in order for him to be ready when he gets to the NBA.

there is the possibility that they can screw up his career with all this stuff or at least delay it a year or so.

Honestly in hindsight he should have just gone to Findlay like was rumored over the summer but of course they already had Kabongo.

Someone on BRO posted this and I had to look myself because it sounded ridiculous. According to their website they have exactly FIVE teachers for the highschool! And one of those 5 it says guidance so i assume it's a counselor, they have a math teacher, a science teacher a history teacher and an African studies teacher.

So if you count the coaches in suits on the basketball team roster picture there are as many basketball coaches, 4, as there are teachers.
in fact it appears that every junior and senior in the school the last 2 years, was on the basketball team.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

If only Josiah could graduate now and play. Nick Johnson too. And Sidiki and Chol.

 

[AzStevenCal]

If only Josiah could graduate now and play. Nick Johnson too. And Sidiki and Chol.

Hopeful thinking or did I miss an announcement?

Steve

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

It's looking good.

 

[Russ Smith]

Not saying Josiah has no wrongdoing here, but who is the one being a headcase here? The student athlete who has not publicly commented on anything in a month or the coach who keeps feeding info to the media and soap box yelling about a 17 year old kid who's been off his team since the middle of December?

I'm not concerned with this. Places like Quality Education and Findlay are simply basketball factories designed to prepare kids to play division I college basketball both athletically and academically. There's no distractions from crazy family members, agenda-driven AAU or high school coaches, or entourage members and other hangers-on trying to pick up some crumbs. It's hoops and school over and over again every day. I'm beginning to think most top-flight HS athletes should be funneled into places like this assuming they are actually getting the schooling.

Friday's Bee said the final straw for Turner was when Swafford found out Josiah had been seen attending other HS games while his teammates were playing games for Sac High. At the time he was still on the team, he was looking to leave but hadn't been suspended or anything yet rather than watch his teammates, he attended other games.

When Swafford found out he said the program needed "civility" not "me me me".

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Friday's Bee said the final straw for Turner was when Swafford found out Josiah had been seen attending other HS games while his teammates were playing games for Sac High. At the time he was still on the team, he was looking to leave but hadn't been suspended or anything yet rather than watch his teammates, he attended other games.

When Swafford found out he said the program needed "civility" not "me me me".

Again - the only person still talking about this is the HS coach. Let it go.

 

[Renz]

Again - the only person still talking about this is the HS coach. Let it go.

Well, Swafford just lost his best player and any shot he may have had for a state title so I'm sure he doesn't have an axe to grind or anything.