Freshman star guard Deuce Turner is already putting up numbers that provide a glimpse of Malvern basketball’s bright future.

Despite finishing outside their expectations in seasons past, the addition of Deuce Turner, already averaging 20.6 PPG is promising for a return to Inter-Ac championship glory for the Friars.

Turner’s decision to attend Malvern was fueled by a desire to play for a program that had a legacy of winning but needed some aid to continue to succeed.

“I saw the basketball team needed some help,” Turner said. “Combine that with the academics and the people I met here, I decided Malvern would be a great spot.”

Varsity basketball coach and Assistant Athletic Director John Harmatuk also played a substantial role in bringing Turner to Malvern.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“Right now, scoring is the strongest part of my game, but I have a lot of work to do if we want to be a really great program. I want to improve all aspects of my game every year.”[/perfectpullquote]

“Deuce was on an AAU team called Rip City, and they were looking for some practice time in our gym,” Harmatuk said. “I first met Deuce there, and we stayed in contact from that point on.”

Freshman Rahdir Hicks, Turner’s Malvern and former Rip City teammate, has been playing with Turner since they were both in sixth grade.

“Deuce is a lot of fun to play with,” Hicks said. “He is a really great scorer, which creates a lot of open shots for everyone else.”

Harmatuk agreed with Hicks, believing Turner to be one of the team’s best scoring options.

“Deuce is a really good offensive basketball player,” Harmatuk said. “He can get to the rim, he can post up, he’s got a good mid-range, he can shoot the three, and he makes his free throws.”

While Turner agrees that scoring is his best attribute, he still feels that he has a lot of room to grow and develop.

“Right now, scoring is the strongest part of my game, but I have a lot of work to do if we want to be a really great program,” Turner said. “I want to improve all aspects of my game every year.”

Harmatuk believes that Turner still has plenty of untapped potential as well.

“As his career progresses here at Malvern, there are still a ton of ways to improve his game,” Harmatuk said. “His growth will be determined by how much effort he chooses to put in.”

Turner believes that Malvern should be excited for what future basketball teams can accomplish, as what as been dubbed the “Fab Four” continues to stand out. This group includes Turner, as well as fellow freshmen Spencer Cochran, Isaac White, and Hicks.

“We’re still a pretty young team,” Turner said. “We still have a couple of years to get better, and hopefully that will lead to Malvern’s improvement as well.”

As for Turner’s basketball career beyond Malvern, Harmatuk believes Deuce should just focus on his high school career for now, and concentrate on the college level when the time comes.

“The college process takes care of itself,” Harmatuk said. “I think if he continues to build on what he has done, then he’ll definitely have some opportunities to play at the next level.”

Turner understands that currently, the biggest priority in his basketball career is Malvern’s success.

“Obviously going to a good college will be important to me soon,” Turner said. “But right now, the only thing that matters is winning games.”