Times a Changin' - Lewistown's Nathan Koster

Nathan Koster (left) talks with his Lewistown Coach Mel Casper
after the IBCA All-Star game at Illinois Wesleyan.

By Frank Rusnak
For those not familiar with Lewistown, IL, it's a small town stuck between Cuba and Havana.

Most people outside of the area are probably still clueless and need further geographical explanations for the other two towns now. It's alright though, because not many people outside of the locals and a few basketball junkies were familiar with Lewistown throughout the past four years, either. This was where a 6'0" Caucasian point guard with small town manners and big time game called home.

"If I wouldn't have signed early, maybe I would've had bigger schools, but I'm just thrilled that I went to a D1 (Evansville)."

Nathan Koster
Lewistown High School

Nathan Koster, a first team High School Elite Class A All-State player, will be suiting up for Evansville this coming season. He will not be with the coach who recruited him, Jim Crews, who has since taken the job at West Point. Crews, by most accounts, however, could be held accountable as the main division one coach to cite the abilities of Koster and make him a priority.

"People or scouts will tell you that there are no sleepers anymore," said Peoria-based scout Bill Flanagan, "I think this kid proves that theory not always true."

While Western Illinois offered him as a junior, none of the other local D1 universities were looking in his direction. According to Flanagan, former Bradley head man Jim Molinari was not known for recruiting local players and no one even expected him to take a look at Koster, while ISU already was filled in the point guard position.

Flanagan recently saw Koster perform at the Peoria Gus Macker tournament where he says Koster led his team, which was composed of Peoria Notre Dame's Brian Randle (committed to Illinois), LeHigh-bound Mitch Gilfillan (played for Peoria Notre Dame) and Eastern Illinois-bound David Roos (formerly of Peoria Manual and ICC). While Randle had an emergency trip to the hospital for heat and dehydration, which caused him to miss the last few games, Koster led his team to the semifinals, where they fell to ZZZZAustralian (who they beat earlier, but had to win twice due to double elimination rules) with Kent State-graduate Trevor Huffman and Xavier (OH)-alumnus Kevin Frey (originally of Main West) -- both Huffman and Frey signed contracts to play in Europe for a reported 800,000 each.

"I always heard about, 'The kid from Lewistown,' but he's got the whole package," said Gilfillan, who had never saw Koster play preceding the Gus Macker.

"There were all kinds of people running up to [Koster's] father at the Gus Macker and asking him if Illinois contacted him or any other Big 10 schools, that's how impressed they were with his play," noted Flanagan. "There were a ton of stud guards in the Gus Macker including guys who both played in the Big 10 and even some in the NBA, and he was the most dominating guard there."

Koster carried his dominance over from the post season Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game. Held at Illinois Welseyan, Koster garnered MVP for the Class A North team while pouring in 17 points and six assists against the state's best. Having already committed to Evansville in the early signing period, there would be no looks from other colleges, but that was fine with Koster.

"I'm from a small school, small town, 1A basketball, [the colleges] look for bigger schools," said Koster. "If I wouldn't have signed early, maybe I would've had bigger schools, but I'm just thrilled that I went to a D1."

Throughout the regular season, Koster shined for his Class A team. Although they held the No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press Poll at the end of the regular season, they fell to Macomb in the regionals, giving them a 26-3 record on the year.

"He's the quarterback of the team and leads us in almost all categories," said Lewistown coach Mel Casper at the end of the season. "He's in the top echelon of basketball players in the state. He's the type of kid where if I asked him to score 35 points, he would do it."

Averaging 24 points, six assists, six rebounds and six steals, Koster did whatever his coach asked and always performed with the utmost class.

According to rumor, against local Class A rival Abingdon, Koster was jumped by two competitors in the midst of battle. One swung an elbow and opened a gash under Koster's eye and the other tried to pull his shooting arm out of its socket as it was rumored he earlier suffered a slight shoulder separation. With all this commotion, Koster never said a word to the culprits or referee, just went over to the bench, got a towel, wiped the blood off, and went back to action. Koster finished with 35 points in that game, while beating Abingdon by almost 30 points.

Sounds like one helluva player without the bravado of one of the prima donnas that this generation has become so accustomed to tagging along with our superstars. Change is good.