Arizona's Class of 2011 point guard recruit Josiah Turner is ready to shine at the next level, according to his high school coach (Turner photo)

Before the Masters hits Augusta, Ga., on April 7, Arizona Class of 2011 signee Josiah Turner turned in a green-jacket performance on the basketball court there Saturday.

Turner, a 6-3 point guard who signed with Arizona last November, was selected the MVP of the Inaugural Converse Mo-Mentorship All-Star Classic at Lakeside High School in Augusta. Turner scored 26 points with 13 assists and two steals, leading the Red team over the White 148-117.

The game featured 14 recruits who have signed with Division I teams, including Turner’s Winston-Salem (N.C.) Quality Education Academy teammate Sir Dominique Pointer, a forward who is headed for St. John’s.

QEA coach Isaac Pitts Jr. coached the Red team Saturday and mentioned to me that Turner “showed why he is a top 10 player of his class.” Turner is rated the No. 10 prospect of the Class of 2011 by Rivals.com.

He is the highest rated recruit signed by Sean Miller in his seven years as a head coach.

“Josiah did what he does best, distribute the ball and take good shots,” Pitts said. “It was an all-star game, so it was pretty wide open, and that’s where Josiah is nearly unstoppable.

“He can get his assists as well as anybody. It was an impressive display.”

Turner has one more high school all-star event to compete in — the All-American Championship in Houston on April 3 — but Pitts said his star guard is ready for the next level.

“You’re talking about one of the top 10 players in his class,” he said. “I’m not really sure what else he has to work on. He’s proven himself quite well to this point.

“Coach Miller, I am sure, has some things in mind to have Josiah work on once he gets there, but in my opinion, he’s ready.”

Pitts will coach Turner and Pointer with the South team in the All-American Championship at the M.O. Campbell Center. The game will be played on the Sunday between the Final Four on Saturday and championship game on Monday in Houston.

Winston-Salem (N.C.) Quality Education Academy coach Isaac Pitts Jr. described to me over the weekend how his new star player Josiah Turner immediately fit in with his band of Division I prospects.

Pitts told me in a GOAZCATS.com interview that he put the vote to QEA’s team about whether to accept Turner, a 6-foot-3 point guard who is a 5-star Rivals.com prospect headed to Arizona. Turner was in the process of applying to QEA after seeking to transfer from Sacramento High School, where its coach Derek Swafford dismissed the prospect from the team for missing a game unannounced while deciding his future.

“I was the last guy on the totem pole getting Josiah in here,” Pitts said. “Our guys accepted the idea of bringing Josiah into the program. We already had a great team with plenty of Division I talent, but they were excited about what Josiah could bring to our team.”

Perhaps the most thrilled, believe it or not, was senior point guard Anthony Fields, who has verbally committed to Wake Forest. Fields realized his playing time would be affected, and that his stats would decrease a bit, but he was concerned more about winning a championship, according to Pitts.

As a stroke of genius, Pitts paired Fields and Turner as roommates. That helped Turner and Fields understand each other and it helped create a bond.

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