Get The Message Given A Second Chance, Nic Guard Finds Stardom
Call Eddie Turner’s phone number and you get the following greeting on the answering machine: “You have reached 1-800-Caribbean Black Men. We’re not in right now. … “
“My mom says, `What?”’ laughs Turner, sophomore guard on the North Idaho College basketball team, explaining that he lives with a couple of NIC track athletes from Jamaica. “The Division I coaches that call me say, “What?”’
A couple years ago, Turner’s phone wasn’t ringing too often. Maybe NIC coach Rolly Williams called, and his message probably sounded something like: “Eddie, do you need to borrow a map to find the classroom?”
Two years ago, Turner was a reserve on a strong Cardinals team. But his grade-point average didn’t match his points-per-game average.
Williams figured Turner would return to his hometown of Seattle and enroll at a JC. Turner did just that, picking up a couple of credits. Then he ran a reverse play, returning to NIC after sitting out last season.
In basketball, there is a statistic for second-chance points. Turner is a second-chance player.
“He’s shown a lot of faith in me,” Turner said of Williams. “I goofed around (my freshman year). It was a stupid mistake. I try to tell some of our freshmen don’t do what I did. Coach took me back; he knew I was a good person, but he didn’t have to take me back because I was ineligible. I thank him for that.”
Turner has returned the favor by averaging 22 points per game.
Team success hasn’t followed. The shot clock is winding down on NIC’s season heading into tonight’s 7:30 home date with talented Dixie (23-5) and Saturday’s encounter with Snow. The Region 18 Tournament is the following weekend.
NIC (14-14 overall) is 6-10 in the Scenic West Athletic Conference, which makes it hard for Turner to enjoy his individual success.
But Turner can relish the fact that he’s making much out of a life that has been surrounded by potential pitfalls.
He grew up in the Florida projects, living with his dad and grandparents. Trouble was everywhere, sometimes in his own living room.
“One time, a dude just ran through our house, the cops were chasing him. We were watching TV,” Turner said.
Turner said he wasn’t immune to the problems. “I wasn’t perfect, but my family tried to keep me busy.”
Turner’s mother convinced him to move to Seattle in his junior year of high school. He did so reluctantly, and was further disturbed when mom told him he couldn’t go to nearby basketball power Garfield. Instead, he bused 45 minutes to Nathan Hale.
“I was so mad, I could walk across the street to Garfield. She didn’t want me to go there because of the violence in the school,” Turner said.
At Hale, Turner joined up with Tavares Mack, now at Washington State, and Jevon Green, who was recently booted from Idaho’s team, to form a monster team.
“I can remember playing against Garfield and their crowd all going, `Traitor, traitor, traitor,”’ said Turner, who will probably play at Idaho next season if his grades hold up. “I had a triple double - 25 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists. We beat them and they hadn’t lost at home in like three years.”
After playing behind talented Cardinals Tracey Evans and Lewis Lofton in the 1992-93 season, Turner’s emerged as an inside-outside scoring threat this season.
He’s in remarkable condition, rarely requiring rest. But Turner did have to spend time on the bench earlier this season to get into the starting lineup.
“He wasn’t working hard enough,” said Williams, who inserted Turner as a starter about three weeks into the season.
Turner’s work ethic these days? “He’s taking things upon himself to work hard in practice,” Williams said. “From that standpoint, he’s exhibited leadership. He has matured a lot as a person and player.”
“He’s always pushing me,” freshman forward Troy Thompson said.
Turner would like to push NIC into the win column more often.
“We need to get these next two games to get some respect,” he said. “I feel like we can do something at the regional tournament.”
He hopes his teammates get the message.