Foster Makes a Name for Himself : Preps: The Indiana recruit has lived up to his billing by leading Fairfax into the playoffs.

At the beginning of last summer, Robert Foster Jr. of Fairfax High was just another City Section basketball player.

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That changed in July after a summer league game. Indiana Coach Bobby Knight, who was in Southern California to watch recruits Richard Mandeville of La Canada and Jacque Vaughn of Pasadena Muir play, told the 6-foot-4 point guard that he would be back in the fall to recruit him.

“I’ll never forget that day,” said Foster, who is averaging 14 points and seven assists. “He wore a red and white polo shirt with an Indiana emblem, with tan pants and white shoes. I was really excited.”

Foster’s mother, Barbara, remembers Robert Jr.’s reaction when he came home after meeting Knight.

“He was definitely excited,” she said. “You could tell that Robert was very impressed with Coach Knight.”

Foster’s status among City players had changed. He would become the first City player to sign with Indiana.

It is still difficult for Foster to imagine himself playing in the fall for the Hoosiers. But Foster is merely the latest player under Fairfax Coach Harvey Kitani to earn a Division I scholarship.

Kitani, who is in his 12th season at the school, has coached Sean Higgins, who went to Michigan, Chris Mills, who is playing at Arizona, and Burt Harris, who starts as a freshman at USC.

Kitani likens Foster to the other players, but said the point guard has always had a game plan.

“He is a person who stayed focused since his sophomore year,” Kitani said. “He has great parents and it shows. He never misses study hall, never misses a practice, always works hard and listens to his criticism.”

Foster credits his family for his success.

“I am just a reflection of my parents, who are great people who taught me to be the best person I can possibly be,” Foster said. “They just create a great foundation for me.”

Keeping sight of his goals is what helped Foster earn a scholarship with Indiana. As a sophomore, Foster asked Kitani what he needed to do in order to get a basketball scholarship. Foster has listened to Kitani ever since.

Although Foster did not score over 700--the score required to be eligible as a college freshman--the first time he took the Scholastic Aptitude Test, Kitani told him to keep working hard. On his second try, Foster scored 760.

Foster, who also considered Oklahoma State, Oregon State and Cal State Long Beach, anticipated he would have problems after signing with Indiana.

“I knew all types of people would come at me on and off the court,” he said. “I just knew that I had to be ready to step up for the challenge.”

That is exactly what Foster has done in leading the Lions to a second-place finish in the Western League and a berth in the 4-A Division playoffs.

“He’s handled the added pressure well,” Kitani said. “His shooting has been fine and he has never been the type of player who hogs the basketball. The only thing is that his turnovers are up, but that’s because he’s trying to make that super pass instead of just going out and play ball.”

Foster has brought out the best opponents, such as Hamilton guard Marlon Garnent.

“Marlon is a friend of mine and he played a great game against me,” Foster said. “He made at least four or five three-pointers and had about 26 points. He really stepped up against me, but we won the game.”

Winning is what concerns Foster the most. That characteristic should help him at Indiana, which has been ranked No. 1 the past month.

“We’re happy that Robert is going to be coached by Coach Knight,” Barbara Foster said. “We’re sure that he’ll bring the best out of Robert and help him move on to another level.”

Foster acknowledges that he has had an up-and-down season, but there have been moments when he has shown people why he is Indiana-bound.

In an early season tournament game against San Diego Lincoln Prep, Foster scored 29 points, had 13 assists and nine rebounds in a Fairfax win.

“I wish Coach Knight could have seen me in that game because I felt like Michael Jordan out there,” Foster said. “Everything I did worked. Everything just came together in that game.”

For now, Foster and his Lion teammates hope to get on a winning streak and earn a trip to the Sports Arena for the City finals.