Highlands’ Bradyn Foster rises to occasion for boys basketball team

By: Jerin Steele
Thursday, January 25, 2024 | 4:17 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

Bradyn Foster has heard some trash talk on the court this season, but he welcomes it.

“A lot of people have told me I’m not good enough to be where I’m going. That’s one of the biggest things,” Foster said in reference to being a Division I recruit. “I like the trash talk. It fuels the fire. It helps me play better.”

At the same time some opposing players talk trash, coaches are scheming up double teams to try and contain him.

Foster has navigated the extra attention well and is proving why he’s headed to Penn.

The 6-foot-8 senior is averaging 22 points and has paced Highlands entering a showdown with Section 1-4A leader Hampton on Friday.

In a game at Shady Side Academy in mid-December, he became the 13th player to spend their entire career at Highlands and score 1,000 points.

Foster knew he’d be relied upon not only for his play on the court this season but also his presence as a leader.

Long-time mainstays Chandler Thimons and Jimmy Kunst graduated leaving Highlands with a much younger team.

“Outside of Jordyn (Tavarez), Cameron (Reigard) and me, nobody else on our team had really played varsity before,” Foster said. “It about us teaching them what we know to help everyone perform. It’s an adjustment. The guys we had last year were great leaders, because they had been in that position for so long. It’s definitely a change to take over for them.”

A good example of the progress made with the seniors guiding the way was last week’s 68-65 loss at Knoch. The Golden Rams were down by double-digits in the second half but battled back to get to overtime. They did so with Foster on the bench for part of the comeback with four fouls.

The game also gave a glimpse of how tight it is at the top of Section 1-4A.

Hampton, Knoch, and Highlands are the top three teams, and every matchup between them has been decided by eight points or less.

Highlands is 3-2 in section play and in third place. It dropped the first meeting with Hampton, 49-41, back on Jan. 2.

Foster was held to a season-low 10 points in the first Hampton game. He’ll look for redemption Friday.

“Their coach (Joe Lafko) is a very good coach and a very smart coach,” Foster said. “The defense they run makes it hard to score. For us it’s not so much about what we did on defense, but finding a way to create offense. I was way below my average scoring, so they did a good job containing me and our other two seniors as well.”

If the Golden Rams want a shot at the section championship, they’ll need a win Friday. Every victory will be important, considering the quality of the field for the upcoming Class 4A playoffs.

“Every playoff game will be a battle for sure,” Foster said. “We know that now, so we’re trying to work out all the little things and what we need to focus on, so when we get to that point we’re ready to go.”

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer

Tags: Highlands