Rebels ready for Ernest to come to their camp

Steve Addy

Thursday, Nov. 16, 2000 | 10:45 a.m.

Ernest Turner has been in love with Las Vegas for years, but not because of Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon or Jerry Tarkanian.

The newest addition to UNLV's recruiting class has starred in the Big Time Tournament, Las Vegas' annual summer hoops event, but confesses he wasn't a fan of the Rebels who won the 1990 NCAA championship.

But he wasn't loyal to anyone else, either.

"I wasn't into basketball back then," Turner said Wednesday. "I played baseball and soccer. I guess I used to hear about Larry Johnson and those guys, but basketball wasn't really my game."

It is now. Turner, ranked the No. 13 high school shooting guard by the Insiders Report recruiting service, signed a national letter of intent with UNLV on the final day of the NCAA's early signing period. The 6-foot-2 senior announced his decision at Sterling High School in Somerdale, N.J.

"There are some good players at UNLV. When I get out there, they're going to be even better," he said. "There was a lot that appealed to me about UNLV."

Turner, who averaged 26 points last season, picked the Rebels over Villanova and Rutgers, but had been leaning toward UNLV since the summer, when he made an unofficial visit during the Big Time Tournament.

His signing gives UNLV a three-man recruiting class, including 6-2 swing guard Marcus Banks from Dixie College (and Cimarron-Memorial HS) and 6-10 center Simplice Njoya from Cameroon and The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.

The Rebels will probably sign two more players in the spring, including a Juco big man.

Until coach Bill Bayno receives Turner's letter, which could occur today, he is prohibited from commenting. But the Rebels have been recruiting Turner since 1999 when he led the Big Time Tournament in scoring with 32.2 points per game. He averaged 24 points in this year's event.

"Ernest likes to put points on the board, and UNLV is a place where he will get the chance to do that," said Rick Barrett, Turner's summer coach and legal guardian. "He likes and respects Bill Bayno, and he also built a good relationship with (assistant coach) Max Good."

Because Turner won't take the SAT test until Dec. 2, he wasn't allowed to make an official visit to UNLV, but said he felt comfortable enough to sign now. He also was not scared off by pending NCAA sanctions against the program, likely to be announced around Nov. 28.

"I guess Villanova was in there, but UNLV has been ahead for a while," Turner said.