2022 John Turner Classic at Newport

Saturday, December 10.

12:00 St. Henry vs St. Xavier (OH)

1:30 Lloyd Memorial vs Roger Bacon (OH)

3:00 Cooper vs East Central (IN)

4:30 Campbell County vs Newport Central Catholic

6:00 Conner vs Elder (OH)

7:30 Newport vs Scott

I don’t know the John Turner that this tournament is named for but I would make a good guess that his roots trace back to Breathitt County. That county has numerous big Turner families, probably all related if one goes back far enough in ancestral documents. It’s could be the most common surname in the county. 
In the post WW2 years there was a big exodus of east Kentucky mountain folk to northern Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana, looking for jobs. Scores of Turners ended up in the Newport and Covington area. 
Breathitt County High’s basketball teams made a point to play there once a year for a long time. I don’t know if they still schedule in the area, though. 

I’m not from NKY and I also don’t know much about the mass exodus of mountain folks to the 859 but I do know with this schedule I could easily see myself sitting in a gym for 9 hours!

 I really Iike the parings this year! 

17 hours ago, The Professor said:

I don’t know the John Turner that this tournament is named for but I would make a good guess that his roots trace back to Breathitt County. That county has numerous big Turner families, probably all related if one goes back far enough in ancestral documents. It’s could be the most common surname in the county. 
In the post WW2 years there was a big exodus of east Kentucky mountain folk to northern Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana, looking for jobs. Scores of Turners ended up in the Newport and Covington area. 
Breathitt County High’s basketball teams made a point to play there once a year for a long time. I don’t know if they still schedule in the area, though. 

Below is part of a huge article on a group going into the Newport High School Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.

John Turner (1953-57)- John was not just a basketball player at Newport but also participated in football and track. In basketball John played for the legendary Stan Arnzen. John was a member of the 1953-54 varsity basketball team that finished second to Inez High School in the Boy’s State Tournament. John played center on the 1955-56 Wildcat basketball team and averaged 21 points per game on a team that finished with a record of 24-2. He again led Newport’s 1956-57 team to a 24-2 season while averaging 25 points per game. John is the All time leading scorer for the Boy’s basketball program in Newport with 1,965 points for his career. While at Newport John was named to the NKAC All Conference Team in 1956 and 57, named 9th Region Player of The Year in 1956 and 57, and was All State in 1956 and 57. Highly recruited John went on to play college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals where he is still considered one of Louisville ’s All Time Greats. At Louisville John was named All American in 1961, NCAA Mideast Regional MVP in 1961, and scored 669 points his senior year. John’s total points for his career at the University of Louisville is 1,451 and total rebounds 919. After college john played one year of professional basketball during the 1961-62 season with the NBA Chicago Packers. His Newport Jersey was retired in 2013.

Turner is ranked 12th out of 50 for All time players at the Ville.  

Fun fact:

Kyle Lee, starting sophomore QB at Newport is the grandson of John Turner.

 

On 10/6/2022 at 3:28 PM, The Professor said:

I don’t know the John Turner that this tournament is named for but I would make a good guess that his roots trace back to Breathitt County. That county has numerous big Turner families, probably all related if one goes back far enough in ancestral documents. It’s could be the most common surname in the county. 
In the post WW2 years there was a big exodus of east Kentucky mountain folk to northern Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana, looking for jobs. Scores of Turners ended up in the Newport and Covington area. 
Breathitt County High’s basketball teams made a point to play there once a year for a long time. I don’t know if they still schedule in the area, though. 

When I was in the eighth grade at Corinth elem. , I had a teacher who was also the principal with the last name Turner. And he was from Breathitt county.