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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Duke guard Caleb Foster will be a game-time decision for the Blue Devils’ Sweet 16 matchup against St. John’s on Friday, coach Jon Scheyer said Thursday.
Foster, the starting point guard for the overall No. 1 seed, has missed the past five games after suffering a fracture in his foot against North Carolina earlier this month.
The 6-foot-5 junior did a “little bit” at practice on Wednesday and Scheyer said they needed to see how he felt and progressed leading into Friday.
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“He’s going to give it everything he has to go tomorrow night,” the Duke head coach said.
Foster was enjoying a breakout season prior to his injury, starting 30 of the team’s first 31 games and averaging 8.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists, shooting 40.2% from 3-point range. He’s been a catalyst in some of Duke’s biggest wins this season, posting 15 points and eight assists against Arkansas; 20 points against Louisville; and 12 points and four assists in a win over then-No. 1 Michigan.
Without Foster, Scheyer has turned to five-star freshman Cayden Boozer — twin brother of Duke’s National Player of the Year front-runner Cameron Boozer — as a starter in the backcourt. Boozer has averaged 13.8 points and 3.2 assists over that span and had 19 points and five assists in Duke’s first-round NCAA tournament win over Siena.
Sophomore center Pat Ngongba is also expected to play in Friday night’s game against No. 5 seed St. John’s (30-6), Scheyer said. Ngongba, who has started 28 games this season, missed five games with a foot injury before returning for the team’s second-round win over TCU, playing 13 minutes off the bench.
Ngongba is averaging 10.5 points and 6.0 rebounds this season.
