The Guy Behind the Guys

There are large shadows cast over Guthrie's Donte Foster that are even tough for the lightning-quick point guard to get away from. The junior has plenty of talent. The problem is those darn shadows. The 6-foot-2 Foster is in the inevitable position of being the forgotten star in what will certainly be seen as a season of bright, bright stars. In any other class, any other other year, Foster would be the best player in the state. Instead, Foster is the guy behind the guy, behind the guy, behind the guy. "Sometimes I get lost in the shuffle," Foster said. "But it's understandable considering the talented players I've played with. But I get enough attention towards me. And hopefully I can make more of a name for myself the next couple of years." The three players in front of Foster are three players who are in front of a lot of others, casting a large, talented shadow. Bishop McGuinness' 6-9 forward Daniel Orton, Norman's 6-9 forward Kyle Hardrick and Putnam City's 6-7 shooting guard Xavier Henry, who is rated the No. 1 or 2 player in the country depending on recruiting services, all rank nationally among the top players. Foster gets to see those players up close as well because they all play on the same AAU team together -- Athlete's First. "With the talent on our team and in his class, he (Foster) is sometimes overlooked," Athletes First coach Gary Vick said. "But he is making his own mark. He can play the point, shooting guard or on the wing as well. He's a triple threat player. Yeah, he is overshadowed, but not by the teams he plays for. We know how valuable he is." Even when Foster steps onto the court, he's in their shadows, considering they are all about seven inches taller than he is. It doesn't bother Foster. "It's OK because we are all good friends," he said. "They deserve it because they work hard for it. They are really good. I just want to try to make it somewhere. I work for what I have to get, too." And it's not like he just tries to take a back seat to any of them. He stood out this past summer in the AAU Super Showcase, which featured some of the top 16-year old teams in the country. In one game in the middle of the tournament, Foster jumped over a taller defender to tip in the game-winner as Athlete's First won by one point against a team from Philadelphia. Athlete's First went on to win the national championship. "We would not have won the championship if it wasn't for Donte," Vick said. "Good players like Donte are in the right place at the right time. He is a great athlete and has developed into a good basketball player through time. Whoever is fortunate to latch onto Donte (in college) is going to get a good player. "He maybe overlooked in some sense. But believe me, he is a Division-I college player without question." While he's been a bit in the background with Athlete's First, Foster has starred with Guthrie. He's led the Bluejays in scoring and to the Class 5A state tournament in each of his first two seasons. He averaged 17 points a game last year. Guthrie is one of the top teams in 5A this year as well. "He does whatever it takes to win games," Guthrie coach Pete Papahronis said. "He can take over games scoring, passing the ball and defensively. He's a player every team wants on their team." Being in the backdrop to his friends isn't all bad. He said he has developed a stronger work ethic and a better shooting touch from his AAU teammates, especially from Henry. Foster also gets to play in front of plenty of college coaches and scouts with the talented Athlete's First team. Not all of them have a chance to get a player like Henry, but then they see Foster and have a chance to recruit him. "His demeanor on the court, you can't teach," Vick said. "He plays hard all the time. He is the best defensive player we have. His shot has improved where he has become a pretty proficient shooter. He didn't have that until last year. College coaches have always recognized his defense and the type of athlete he is. But now what jumps out is how he has developed his jump shot. He has made himself a complete player." Foster has attracted some interest from Kansas, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Iowa State, Stanford and Kentucky, among others. He also participates in track and football, but he said he is going to concentrate solely on basketball his senior year. "I just try to be the best player I can be and not worry about stuff I can't control," Foster said. "I've gotten better and I'm ready for a big season. My dad always tells me, 'If you don't try hard than don't play the game.' I follow that every time I take the court."