HAVERFORD, Pa. – Jesse Turkson has been named a first-team All-Centennial Conference performer, earning the first all-conference recognition of his career for the Haverford College men's basketball team. Turkson, a junior, is the sixth player in program history be a first-team All-CC pick since the Fords joined the Centennial Conference during the 1993-94 academic year. His honor marks the second straight first-team honor for a resurgent program as Joe Scibelli '19 earned that same recognition a season ago.
Turkson led the Fords in both scoring (14.4 ppg) and rebounding (8.2 rbg) on his way to helping Haverford get back to the Centennial Conference Tournament for the first time since the 2010-11 season. Haverford's third place finish in the Centennial Conference regular season standings was the team's best finish since the conference went to one single division. Turkson started 25 of the team's 26 games, ceding his spot in the starting lineup only during Senior Day to honor Haverford's Class of 2020.
Turkson's 8.2 rebounds per game marked the highest average in the Centennial Conference. He secured 10 or more rebounds seven times throughout the season, posting a double-double with 10-plus points during each of those occasions. He grabbed a season-high 14 rebounds in back-to-back outings at Immaculata and Washington College during early January. Turkson led Haverford in rebounding during 20 of the team's 26 contests.
Also ranking seventh in the conference in scoring, Turkson finished in double figures for scoring in 20 games. That total included six contests where he went for 20 or more points. He scored a season-high 26 points during Centennial Conference victories against Ursinus and Gettysburg while also posting monster doubles against Muhlenberg (24 pts., 11 rebs.) and Washington College (24 pts., 14 rebs.). One of nine different players to lead Haverford in scoring this season, Turkson led the team in points 14 times throughout the year.
In addition to his point and rebound totals, Turkson was fifth in the conference in field goals (149), sixth in field goal percentage (52.3%), seventh in steals (39), and seventh in blocked shots (23). With another season to go during his career, Turkson is already fourth in program history for career field goal percentage (53.7%), eighth in rebounding average (7.9 per game), and 10th in blocked shots (58). Twice throughout the regular season, Turkson was honored as the Centennial Conference Player of the Week.
In addition to Turkson's honor, Grayson Roth was named to the Centennial Conference All-Sportsmanship Team. Roth appeared in 84 career games for the Fords, including 25 starts over his four seasons. He scored 200 points, pulled down 178 rebounds, dished out 57 assists, and came up with 21 steals over that time.
Men's basketball finished its season with a 16-10 (11-7) record for the team's second most wins in program history, trailing only the 1976-77 squad which went 18-8. Haverford made its seventh appearance all-time in the Centennial Conference Tournament under third-year head coach Patrick Doherty. Haverford's season concluded in the Centennial Conference semifinals with a defeat at the hands of nationally-ranked and eventual Centennial Conference Champion Johns Hopkins.
Also announced on Tuesday was Turkson earning first-team All-City of Basketball Love Area honors. He was joined in that award announcement by head coach Patrick Doherty who helped guide the Fords to their first winning season in eight years. Doherty received honorable mention recognition for the area's coach of the year award.