Jon Scheyer had his star guard, Caleb Foster, back in rotation for the Sweet 16 matchup against the St. John’s Red Storm. Foster had missed the entire ACC Tournament and the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
On March 7, when the Blue Devils faced North Carolina in their final game of the regular season, Foster suffered a foot fracture. While he was out to recover, his teammates held the fort down and brought Duke to the Sweet 16.
In his first game after injury, Foster came off the bench for 19 minutes. He scored 11 points, shooting 5 of 8 from the field, and had three rebounds and two assists. The Blue Devils won the game 80-75 against the Red Storm.
At the post-game press conference, head coach Jon Scheyer was asked about his emotional bond with Foster and what his performance tonight meant to him. Earlier, Scheyer had choked up while talking about the star guard.
“We’ve been through a lot together,” he said. “It’s harder to go through stuff now for all the reasons you guys know, transfer portal, all the different reasons. I think every step of the way, going back to when he committed to us, he was 16 years old, to think about being in these moments and how we got here.”
“He’s had two tournaments when he has been injured. The pain, you feel for that. Different moments, he could’ve transferred, could’ve decommitted, and his commitment to Duke, his commitment to me and this program, has been unmatched.”
Scheyer said that most players wouldn’t have come back after suffering a fractured foot in the last stretch of the season. While he would’ve supported Foster regardless of his decision, Scheyer said that his return is a great representation of the commitment he has to Duke.
Jon Scheyer Was Confident About Caleb Foster’s Return
Foster has been with Duke since 2023. He has proved how committed he is to the program and how deeply he cares for the team’s success. So, his return after a fractured foot was just about his love for Duke and the game.
In the lead-up to the Sweet 16 matchup, Scheyer was optimistic about Foster’s recovery and a possible return.
“He had a good day of practice (Wednesday), doing a little bit,” Scheyer said on March 26. “Again, it’s not like there’s a lot of practice time, but we have to make sure he’s in position before the game, more of a game-time decision… He’s going to give it everything he has to go.”
While Isaiah Evans and Cameron Boozer led the team against St. John’s, Foster’s presence added a lot of confidence to the Duke team.
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