Foster is high on the Gophers and Auburn.
Alex Foster, a 6-foot-7, 219-pound forward from Chicago (IL) Seton Academy, is one of the top players in a loaded Class of 2013 big man from Illinois. Foster is hearing from many schools, including Minnesota, which is one of his favorites. GopherHole.com recently caught up with Foster to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Foster led the DeLaSalle to a 17-7 marl, losing to Bogan in the Class 4A Mount Carmel regional title game 79-63, despite Mean Streets AAU teammate Alvin Ellis, a 6-foot-3 rising senior, finishing with a career-high 42 points.
Foster will play South Holland (IL) Seton Academy this fall.
Gopher Hole: How pleased were you with the way things went in July during the evaluation period?
Alex Foster: It was OK. It could have went better, especially because of the fact that we didn’t get to go to Orlando. I really wanted to go there. We had some things that happened with the coach.
Gopher Hole: You attended the Nike Skills U in Washington D.C. What was that experience like?
Alex Foster: It was pretty cool. It was like how July is with the Peach Jam with all the coaches, only I wasn’t with my team, I was by myself. I was on the Ohio State team (each squad is named after a college program). There was a bunch of kids that I had probably seen before, but I didn’t know any of them on my team. I knew people down there, though. I felt like I did well there and when I got home, I got a few offers from down there from Duquesne and Memphis.
Gopher Hole: It was reported that Minnesota and Auburn were your two top schools. Is that the case?
Alex Foster: I wouldn’t say a top two. Those are two schools that I have the most interest in.
Gopher Hole: When I spoke to you back in April at the EYBL event in Minnesota, you had a top five of Minnesota, Harvard, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Nebraska. Are some of those schools still in the mix or have you moved on past some of them?
Alex Foster: Everyone except Harvard.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought about what school you are definitely going to visit?
Alex Foster: I definitely want to visit Minnesota and Memphis. I’ll probably go back down to Tennessee again.
Gopher Hole: Have you set any dates yet for those visits?
Alex Foster: No. I’ll make some plans once school starts.
Gopher Hole: You are transferring from DeLaSalle to Seton Academy. Is that going to be a good move for you?
Alex Foster: The school I am at now is closer, way closer. I am way more familiar with the coach, too. They are both Catholic schools. Seton is 2A. DeLaSalle is 4A, but that doesn’t really make a difference to me. I fell better there, too, because I go there every day in the gym and the coach works with me. It is not that far. It is 20 minutes away from my house. When I was at DeLaSalle. I had to travel 45-50 minutes a day going to school. It is a big load off.
Gopher Hole: Do they have any other players at Seton Academy that are possible Division players?
Alex Foster: Kamal Shasi (a 6-foot senior guard who averaged 11.3 points per game), Johnny Patterson (a 6-foot-5 senior forward) and Mark Weems (a 6-foot-2 senior guard who averaged 14.7 points per game). They were there last year, too. They were part of a team that went downstate. They lost the first game down there
Gopher Hole: Have you thought about when you might decide on a college? Would you sign in the early signing period or have you even thought that far?
Alex Foster: I would probably have a decision by then.
Gopher Hole: What are you hearing from the Gophers?
Alex Foster: Minnesota has been after me really hard ever since the middle of my school season.
Gopher Hole: What do you know about Minnesota?
Alex Foster: I know Coach Tubby (Smith) and Coach Vince (Taylor), but other than that, that is as much as I know. I watched them on TV a couple of times.
Gopher Hole: Does that seem like a place that you would like to play?
Alex Foster: Yes, of course.
Gopher Hole: What things have you been really working on to continue to improve yourself as a player?
Alex Foster: My confidence. Knowing what I can do and doing it. Keep rebounding, running and going hard every play. Don’t take no plays off.
Gopher Hole: Do you come from a basketball family?
Alex Foster: My brother played basketball, but not in college. He went to Southern Illinois, but he did not play in college. My sister played basketball, but she did not play in college. I am pretty much the one who will end up playing in college.
Gopher Hole: What do you see as your strengths as a player?
Alex Foster: My rebounding. That is what I try to do. I try to play defense. Defense keeps you in the game and wins championships. That is what I think.
Gopher Hole: You are getting looks from Harvard, so obviously, you are a good student. Have you given much thought to a possible college major yet?
Alex Foster: Communications or Sociology.
Gopher Hole: How did you do on the ACT?
Alex Foster: I got a 20. I took it again and have to see how I did.
Gopher Hole: What is your GPA?
Alex Foster: 3.1.
Gopher Hole: What is going to be the main factor that is going to make you pick School A over School B and C?
Alex Foster: Pretty much, will I get better? The education and how the school is. How I feel when I am there? If I have a good feel, then I’ll probably like it.