Pleasantville turns to rival Atlantic City for new boys basketball coach

The Pleasantville Greyhounds will turn to their biggest rival to try and help revive their basketball program.

The school has hired former Atlantic City Vikings star, Frank Turner, to be its need head boys basketball coach.

The 2006 Atlantic City high graduate is a well known name in the South Jersey basketball community,  leading the Vikings to their first ever State championship during the 2004-05 season, playing Division I at Canisius College and professionally overseas for more than a decade.

The Vikings went 74-17 record during his playing career.

"I think it's an excellent hire by PVBOE," said legendary former Atlantic City Boys basketball coach Gene Allen, who Turner played for during his time with the Vikings. Frank is young , enthusiastic, hard working, he knows basketball and he has and excellent staff. The expectations will be high because he expects great things from himself."

Turner will be the teams fourth head coach in four seasons, after finishing 12-15 last season.

Joining his staff will be a pair of Pleasantville graduates, 2001 graduate Antwan Dozier and 2019 graduate Jalen Freeman. Dozier helped lead the 2001 team to the South Jersey Group II final and finished his career with 1,922 career points.

Turner's presence should add some more excitement to the traditional Battle by the Bay game, going back to Atlantic City for the annual Gane between the two rivals. He spent the 2023-24 season on the Vikings staff.