Duke point guard Caleb Foster has a chance to play Friday in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament against St. John’s.
Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer said Thursday that Foster will be a game-time decision before No. 1 overall seed Duke meets Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino and his No. 5 Red Storm (30-6) in East Region play in Washington, D.C.
Foster fractured his foot in the regular-season finale against North Carolina in Durham, N.C., and missed the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament and first two NCAA Tournament games for the Blue Devils (34-2).
Scheyer said Foster, a junior, participated in practice on a limited basis on Wednesday. Duke staff will monitor his progress in advance of the game.
“He’s going to give it everything he has to go (Friday) night,” Scheyer said.
In other injury news, center Patrick Ngongba II is expected to play.
Ngongba, who also is recovering from an injured foot, missed five games but played last Saturday in Duke’s second-round 81-58 win over TCU. Usually a starter, he came off the bench to play 13 minutes, score four points, pull down four rebounds and record four assists.
Foster, who started 30 of his 31 games, is averaging 8.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists. He is shooting 39 of 97 (40.2%) from 3-point range.
On the season, Ngongba is averaging 10.5 points and 6.0 rebounds and shooting 60.7% from the field in 30 games (28 starts). He has a team-best 33 blocked shots.
