Illinois State head mens basketball coach Porter Moser finalized his staff Thursday with the hiring of Louisiana Tech assistant coach Steve Forbes.
Forbes, a native of Lone Tree, Iowa, just ended his third season with the Bulldogs. He was instrumental in helping the Bulldogs claim a nationally-ranked recruiting class for the 2001-02 season. In his three seasons, Tech posted a winning mark twice, including a National Invitation Tournament bid in 2001-02, Techs first postseason action in 10 years.
Im very excited about this opportunity, Forbes said. There is an enormous amount of potential at Illinois State and I will have the opportunity to work on one of the brightest young staffs in the country. With a lot of hard work and Porters leadership, I know that we can turn the Illinois State program around.
Like Moser, Forbes will be working closer to where he grew up.
It is exciting for me to bring my wife and kids closer to home, Forbes added. The state of Illinois is basketball country. They love the game, they understand it and they have a passion for it. Im looking forward to returning to that kind of environment.
Before coaching at Louisiana Tech, Forbes served two seasons as the associate head coach at Idaho. During his first season with the Vandals, he helped the team improve to a 16-11 record and saw his team jump from 10th in the league in scoring the previous season to second in the Big West Conference.
Moser earned respect for Forbes talents on the road during recruiting wars.
Steve is one of the hardest working coaches out there, Moser said. I have known him for 10 years and Im excited about getting the opportunity to work with him. He has been a successful head coach and his teams have won wherever hes gone. He is a relentless recruiter and has a tremendous amount of experience at this level. He is another great addition to our staff.
Prior to Idaho, Forbes coached at Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kansas, where he compiled a record of 68-28 in three years as a head coach. During his tenure, his teams produced three all-Americans, finished nationally ranked twice and defeated 15 nationally ranked teams.
In 1991 after serving as an assistant for two seasons, Forbes got his first job as a head coach at Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa, where he earned a 36-27 record in two years. Forbes left Southwestern after accepting an assistant coaching position at BCCC in 1993.
Already in his coaching career, Forbes has had two of his players drafted by the National Basketball Association. At Barton County, Forbes coached Alexander Radojevic to a lottery pick for the Toronto Raptors and at Idaho, Kaniel Dickens was a second-round selection for the Utah Jazz.
The 38-year-old Forbes graduated from Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, Ark., in 1988. While playing baseball for the Muleriders, he earned a bachelors degree in secondary education.
Forbes and his wife Johnetta have two children; Elizabeth, age 13, and Christopher, age 7.
