In the days after Caleb Foster’s foot injury in Duke’s regular-season finale against North Carolina, reports began to surface that the junior point guard was likely out for the year but may have a chance to return for the Final Four. 20 days later, he played 19 minutes in the Sweet 16 against St. John’s and scored 11 second-half points to will the Blue Devils to an 80-75 win.
Jon Scheyer was noticeably emotional talking about Foster’s performance with CBS’s Tracy Wolfson on the court in Washington, D.C., after the game, and his admission in the postgame press conference explains why.
Asked about his remarkable return, Foster was rather coy, offering, “I’ve been driving fast on a scooter for about two weeks,” before sharing a bit about his rehabilitation process. Scheyer was more open with the timeline.
“That’s the first time he’s gone five-on-five,” Scheyer interjected. “There hasn’t been one second of five-on-five since he’s come back.”
Caleb Foster’s Sweet 16 appearance was first 5-on-5 action since his injury
Foster suffered a fracture in his foot against North Carolina on March 7. He had surgery shortly thereafter and, after missing the ACC Tournament and the first weekend of March Madness, made his return to the floor in less than three weeks. Had he held out a moment longer, he might not have gotten the opportunity.
Foster was massive in Duke’s win, not just with his 11 points, but as a calming presence for a young Blue Devils team against Rick Pitino’s intense full-court pressure. Freshman Cayden Boozer has replaced Foster in the starting lineup, and though he turned the ball over just twice, he struggled at times getting Duke into its offense. Foster wasn’t sure what he’d have, but experience was one thing he could bring.
“I just wanted to come out and provide anything possible,” Foster said. “Experience, whatever the team needed. I didn’t know what to expect, but just providing a boost out there anyway I can.”
This isn’t the first bit of adversity that the former five-star has faced over his three years in Durham. Last season, he had played his way out of the rotation midway through the year before clawing back minutes in time for the NCAA Tournament and becoming a key piece of Duke’s Final Four run.
If Duke gets back for a chance at redemption after last season, it appears that Foster will play an even bigger and even more unlikely role this time around.