AC Alum Frank Turner Excelled During His Time in MAAC Conference

Atlantic City boys basketball alum Frank Turner remembers his time playing for the Vikings like it was yesterday.

"Yeah its crazy because I was able to catch one of the (Atlantic City) high school games," Turner said as a guest on The Sports Bash while visiting his home town this week.

"I caught them play against one of our rivals, Holy Spirit. The memories that came back...you get into comparing the teams, competition. It just brought back a lot of memories, a lot of memories." Turner laughed.

The now 31-year old Turner averaged 18 points, 5.6 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 steals a game as a senior en route to earning first-team All-South Jersey honors and second-team all-state accolades with the Vikings in 2006.

As a junior, he was a standout, as the MVP of the 2005 Group 4 state championship game, leading the Vikings to the title.

During his Atlantic City tenure, Turner posted a 74-17 record.

After high school, Turner left for Canisius University, a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, and become a immediate impact player for the Griffs.

"The MAAC is a very, very good conference, there is a lot of tough basketball, Turner recalled.

"I played against a lot of physical teams, its very competitive, its always got great talent, the guards are top notch."

The MAAC will feature its product in Atlantic City, both men's and women's tournaments will make Boardwalk Hall its home from March 10-14 with an invitation to the NCAA field of 64 waiting for the winner.

"People will see some really good basketball," Turner said. "I'm kinda jealous it wasn't  here when I played."

Turner's basketball journey over the past 10 years has taken him all over the basketball map, Belgium, Germany and more European locations during his pro career.

"It's defiantly a blessing, sometimes a little shocking," Turner acknowledged.

"Even thinking about it I'm 10 years in as a professional basketball player. I'm about to be 32 years old, it seemed like yesterday that I was in high school playing for AC, and I remember like it was yesterday. I remember all the the battles with Niagara, the games with Rider. It was a blessing, its crazy to be 10 years in."

Turner's career started out here in Atlantic City, but it got taken to another level playing in the MAAC, so make sure you check out a game at Boardwalk Hall and see how tough some of these players really are in person.