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Mohawks look to  Foster on court

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By John Bombatch, Staff Writer Updated 10:20 AM Tuesday, March 9, 2010

MADISON TWP. — As conductor of virtuoso musicians in sneakers, junior point guard Josh Foster plays a pivotal role each time the undefeated Madison High School boys basketball team takes to the court.

When the Mohawks (23-0) head into Thursday’s Division III district championship game with Shroder Paideia at UD Arena, Foster will continue to do anything he can to help the team win.

“The lead guard in our system has to be an extension of the coach on the floor,” Mohawks coach Jeff Smith said. “Josh doesn’t panic, he always has a cool head on him. He’s a very coachable player, too. He makes coaching a lot more fun.”

Through the first three postseason games, Foster leads the team with a 15 points per game average. He scored 18 in the Division III sectional opener against Southwestern Buckeye League rival Carlisle. Most recently, Foster led the team with 19 points in the sectional final win over Badin. The team’s assists leader, Foster also leads the team with 11-of-12 free throws in the postseason.

“He’s been our most consistent performer since the last month of the regular season,” Smith added. “He’s multifaceted and he’s scoring a little bit more now. I told him he needed to assert himself on the court more. He’s always busy taking care of everyone else. We’ve needed him to score, too.”

The 5-foot-10 point guard said it’s all part of the team’s goals.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to get my team a win,” Foster said. “If I have to score in the high teens, I will. If I have to dish out 10 assists or more, I will. I guess it depends on what team we play. If my teammates are hot, I’m going to get them the ball. And if it’s not my game, then I’ll find ways to make plays for my team.”

Senior Tyler Dietz said Foster is the most underrated player in the SWBL.

“He’s a huge reason for our success this season,” teammate and fellow junior Matt Houser said.

“He’s a really good passer. Whether he’s double teamed or not, he can find who’s open,” added Mark Maloney.

If things get tense, Foster’s usually the guy to get a laugh in order to calm things down. But he knows when to be funny.

“When coach needs us to focus more? No,” Foster said with a smile. “But if I see a teammate is down about a turnover, I’ll try and say something funny and get him to take his mind off that.”

Whether he’s putting up points, passing out assists or dropping punchlines, Foster has been a big reason for the Mohawks’ success.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2851 or jbombatch@coxohio.com.

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