Turner Battle

Turner Battle (born August 1, 1983 in Kernersville, North Carolina/East Forsyth High School) was a point guard for the University at Buffalo Bulls men's basketball team from 2001 to 2005. Battle is widely credited with fueling the resurgence of the Bulls men's basketball program, which went from 5-23 during his sophomore season to a 23-win senior campaign. On July 5, 2007, Battle was named an assistant coach at Buffalo, replacing Chris Hawkins who left for Tulane University. It was Hawkins who recruited Battle to UB out of high school.

The Bulls announced the signing of Battle on November 10, 2000 out of East Forsyth High School in North Carolina. There, he led the Fighting Eagles to a 15-8 record and a conference championship as a senior, while averaging 17 points, five rebounds and five assists per game.

Following his senior season, "All-Star Sports" Editor-in-Chief and college basketball recruiting expert Bob Gibbons had Battle rated as one of the top 100 prospects in the Class of 2001. "I think this is the steal of the millennium," said Gibbons. "Turner Battle could have played for an ACC school. He's a true point guard who is a tremendous floor leader and an outstanding student-athlete," (citation: http://www.ubathletics.buffalo.edu/mensbasketball/news/mbb11-10-2000-battle.shtml).

Following a senior season in which Battle averaged 15.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game, Battle led the Bulls to within a last second tip-in of the school's first MAC Championship and an automatic bid in the NCAA Tournament. After the season, Battle was honored as the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year, the first such award for a UB player. Battle was also named to the All-MAC First Team for the first time in his career (he was named All-MAC Honorable Mention following his sophomore season). In addition, Battle was named to the Academic All-MAC squad after his final three seasons with the Bulls.

Following his collegiate career, Battle signed with BC Kalev, a first division team in Estonia before briefly playing for a first division team in France. Battle then signed with the Fort Worth Flyers of the NBADL. On February 1, 2006, Battle returned to Buffalo to play with the Buffalo Rapids of the American Basketball Association.

Battle was an assistant coach at Sweet Home High School in the Buffalo suburb of Amherst for the 2006-07 season and on July 5, 2007, he was named assistant coach at his alma mater.

External links

* [http://www.buffalobulls.com University at Buffalo Bulls homepage]
* [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=5434 Turner Battle's stats @ ESPN.com]