Former Eastern men’s basketball player Josh Gomes had just talked about Barry Stevens’ influence on his life to one of his teammates in Poland.

He can still hear his former assistant coach’s voice telling him always be ready to shoot the ball.

Gomes, along with many other of Stevens’ friends, former players, teammates and coaches, won’t hear the former Eastern’s men’s basketball coach’s voice again.

The news of Stevens’ unexpected death Wednesday stunned his former coaches and players here that he worked with in Charleston.

Stevens, 43, died Wednesday while working out with his 15-year-old son at a fitness center in Gary, Ind.

The Des Moines Register reported Thursday morning Stevens died of an apparent heart attack, his widow, Sarita Stevens, said.

Stevens was an assistant under head coach Rick Samuels during the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons.

Gomes, who had Stevens as a coach his sophomore and junior years at Eastern, said Stevens was a father figure to the team.

“He was one of those guys who you can talk to about anything that was going on in your life,” Gomes said via e-mail from Poland, where he plays professionally for AZS Koszalin. “And you need those type of guys; they tend to keep the team together.”

The news of his death shocked his former assistants here at Eastern, Steve Weemer and Mike Church, because of Stevens’ good, physical health.

“He was religious about what he ate,” Church said. “I was completely amazed because he was in such great shape.”

Samuels, who now works at Lincoln College as a development officer in the office of alumni and development, said Weemer called him Wednesday informing him of Stevens’ death.

“It was a shock because here’s a guy who was in great physical condition,” Samuels said.

Weemer also received a call from a coaching friend informing him of Stevens’ death.

“Coaching’s like a fraternity,” Weemer said, who’s now the boys’ varsity basketball head coach at Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora. “The news spread fast.”

Stevens’ had a prolific playing career at Iowa State from 1982-85 and is the school’s second all-time leading scorer, with 2,190 points.

He played professionally for 12 years and was drafted in the second round of the 1985 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets.

Senior Austin Hogue, a member of Eastern’s basketball team during Stevens’ years in Charleston, remembers how easily Stevens could relate to his players.

Hogue said Stevens was one of the “most athletic 40-year-olds” he’d ever seen.

Samuels said he remembers players challenging Stevens to dunk a ball in practice and Stevens performed the task easily.

Stevens coached in the Continental Basketball Association with a few franchises before coaching at Eastern late in the summer of 2003.

Samuels said Stevens was the right candidate he was looking for.

“We had an opening late in the summer (for an assistant coach),” Samuels said. “He fit what we wanted. I thought he had his players’ best interest.”

Church, who last talked to Stevens about six months ago, said he thought the players respected him because of his playing ability and his soft-spoken nature.

Gomes, who said the players referred to Stevens as “B Steve,” last talked to him in September.

“He was simply one of those guys you could walk into his office just to say “hello” for a couple minutes, and end up leaving after two hours of conversation,” Gomes said. “He has helped me on and off the court in becoming a better basketball player and a better person. There are not many ‘B Steves’ around in the world.”

Stevens leaves behind his wife, two sons and a daughter.

“I just wish I had made another phone call or contacted him more, but that’s how it is,” Samuels said.

Funeral arrangements are pending.