Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer (David Banks-USA TODAY Sports)
Duke Basketball Guard Unlocks Door to Dreams Against Spartans
On Tuesday night, Caleb Foster forced one 3-point attempt during the second half of Duke basketball's 74-65 Champions Classic win over No. 18 Michigan State in Chicago's United Center.
That rushed shot marks the rookie's only miss across the No. 9 Blue Devils' daunting recent two-game stretch, beginning with Friday's 78-73 home loss to now-No. 3 Arizona.
The problem is, though, Foster did not attempt a shot in his season-low 13 minutes of action against the Wildcats. His impact was minimal in that contest.
And that didn't sit well with the lifelong Duke basketball enthusiast, who has long envisioned himself shining under the brightest lights as a Blue Devil.
So, against the Spartans in Chicago, the 6-foot-5 guard from Harrisburg, N.C., rebounded by going 7-for-8 from the field, including a 4-for-5 clip from downtown, en route to his team-high and career-high 18 points.
All but two of those points came in the second half. Most were of the clutch variety as Foster accelerated Duke's attack at the one-spot late.
He added three rebounds, one assist, and one block in his 29 minutes off the bench.
"It's a dream come true," he explained to sophomore forward Mark Mitchell in the locker room. "It's a game I've been watching my whole life. I'm just thankful to my teammates for letting me make big plays."
It seems Foster is an efficiently selective yet highly capable high-volume bucket-getter, shooting 13-for-18 overall and 5-for-8 beyond the arc through the Blue Devils' 2-1 start. Furthermore, he's an effective tempo-pusher and a proven primetime clutch performer on college hoops' grandest November stage.
"What Caleb did tonight, he won us the game," second-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer said about Foster afterward. "I just think it says a lot about him as a freshman being in this environment, in this moment, and not just the points...his defense, his rebounding, his passing.
"I just thought it was a big-time response, and I can't say enough about his attitude."
Foster may earn a starting nod when Duke hosts Bucknell in Cameron Indoor Stadium on Friday at 6 p.m. ET. Or he may continue to make his case as one of the nation's top sixth men.
Either way, given the confidence boost from his breakout performance, anticipation is through the roof among Blue Devil fans — not to mention Duke basketball's social media, which changed its profile pic following the victory to that of the former five-star recruit — about what's next for Caleb Foster.
Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke basketball news.
