Grant Prusator left Rochelle Township High School as one of the greatest scorers in school history, but his college basketball career was anything but a smooth ride.

From Highland Community College to Indiana State University and finally Arkansas Tech University, Prusator’s career took several twists and turns as he battled for playing time at each stop he made. But the former Hub sharpshooter remained true to his vision, and now that his collegiate career is behind him, he’s keeping his head down and staying focused on what lies ahead.

“A lot of it was just facing a lot of different adversities,” Prusator said. “Junior college is a different animal because you’re on your own and the coaches aren’t around as much as they are at the Division I level. It’s more about working on your own and having the mentality that you have to wake up and make sure you work out. The adversity of not playing at Indiana State made me continue to work hard, and eventually everything paid off at Arkansas Tech.”

Prusator’s crisp shooting stroke made him an elite scorer at the high school level, and he continued to find the bottom of the net in his freshman season at Highland, averaging 13 points per game while shooting 42.7 percent from the 3-point line. His best efforts included a 32-point outburst against Jones County at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas.

It was that effort that garnered the attention of Indiana State, who worked out Prusator and offered him a National Letter of Intent to suit up for the Sycamores. Prusator spent both his sophomore and junior seasons at Indiana State, averaging 8.4 minutes per game in his first year as a Sycamore while going 25-for-58 (43.1 percent) from 3-point land.

But the Rochelle product wasn’t getting the exposure he had hoped for, and his playing time decreased during his second season at Indiana State, averaging just 4.5 minutes per game. His numbers dropped across the board including his 3-point percentage, which fell to 27.3 percent on 33 attempts. Prusator was unable to find his usual rhythm with the Sycamores, leading him to explore playing options elsewhere.

“I had to make a decision after basically sitting on the bench for two years,” he said. “Coaches really weren’t looking for me to play more my senior year and I had to think about how I wanted my career to end. I just wanted to play and make my mark on the game.”

Enter Arkansas Tech, who had won the Great American Conference title prior to Prusator’s arrival. The program’s success was enticing to him, and he made an immediate impact in his lone season with the Wonder Boys, averaging 8.4 points per game and shooting 39.2 percent from beyond the arc. While Prusator’s Division II opponents didn’t offer the same level of competition as his Division I foes, his freedom to shoot from his spots allowed him to feel much for comfortable than he was over the previous two years.

“I knew I was going to a good program and that we would be competing,” Prusator said. “My coach wanted me to play heavy minutes and it worked out great… It was a fun season and it was a lot more preparation for me knowing I was going to get more playing time, but I felt good about everything. I was shooting the ball well and I was contributing.”

Helped by Prusator’s shooting, the Wonder Boys totaled a 21-8 record and a 13-1 record at home, qualifying for the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Tournament as a No. 7 seed before falling to No. 2 seed Southwest Minnesota State. The former Hub’s top performances included a 23-point showing in a win over Missouri Southern State on Dec. 19, 2016 and a 24-point outburst against Henderson State on Jan. 19.

“Being on the floor, I had a lot of freedom at Arkansas Tech to shoot the shots that I wanted to,” Prusator said. “They really encouraged me to let the 3-point ball fly, and at Indiana State things were more structured and I was shooting more of the shots the coach wanted.”

His athletic career may be over, but Prusator is still looking to finish his academic career in sports management. He said he’ll need to return to Indiana State to complete his degree program before pursuing a job in the field of sports. Prusator is currently working in Terre Haute, Indiana. His playing career may have been a difficult journey, but Prusator said he wouldn’t change a thing.

“I really enjoyed my time at Highland, and my goal growing up was to play Division I basketball,” Prusator said. “Going to Highland gave me that opportunity, and although things didn’t work out at Indiana State the way I planned, I met some of the friends and people I’m going to be close to for the rest of my life. Being a culture like that extends beyond basketball… Every year was a different adventure and I enjoyed it all the same.”