When Caleb Foster goes into attack mode, close the blinds and get ready for some super-heroic action moves. The Duke-bound senior guard at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High doesn’t care who gets in his way – he just strikes and wreaks havoc.
In Friday night’s Division I Basketball State Championship game at the Golden 1 Center, Livermore Granada featured 7-foot Andrew McKeever. Foster’s drive to the basket helped send McKeever to the sideline with five fouls and 4:42 minutes remaining, leading coach Matt Sargeant to yell, “He’s out! He’s gone!”
It was Granada’s last breath. The fantastic trio of Notre Dame from Foster, Gonzaga signing Dusty Stromer and Houston signing Mercy Miller was too much.
Foster’s offense propelled the Knights to their first state championship in school history, a 67-58 victory over Granada. The Knights led by 16 points in the first half. Foster finished with 33 points, the best individual performance in Division I state championship history, leaving little doubt that he was worthy of All-American recognition even as he was selected for the McDonald’s All-American Game rejected.
“He was excellent,” Sargeant said.
Miller opened the game with a dunk and eight quick runs. Foster finished the first quarter with three and seven points. Foster just started to warm up and finished the half with 18 points.
Both players came from the Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy. It took Notre Dame weeks to develop the chemistry to win big games. This happened in February and March. Four wins over Chatsworth Sierra Canyon, a double loss over Studio City Harvard-Westlake overtime, a win over Santa Ana Mater Dei, and wins over Torrance Bishop Montgomery and San Diego St. Augustine indicated that the Knights were learning as a unit to to play. Crucial to the transition was Stromer taking on a less offensive role.
Stromer sat out his sophomore season, the 2020-21 season shortened by COVID-19, and then rose to become a standout player in his junior year, averaging nearly 20 points per game. There are few more versatile players. Whatever Sargeant asked him this season, Stromer responded quickly and efficiently. Stromer had back pain this week and Sargeant said he probably shouldn’t play. “The toughness was unreal,” he said.
On Friday, Stromer, the tallest knight in a five-guard lineup, was sometimes asked to guard McKeever and focus on making rebounds.
“It’s another example of his versatility on both sides of the field,” said Sargeant.
With Stromer contributing as a rebounder and defender, Duke-bound Foster was released to fuel the offense. Foster scored 12 points in the first 10 minutes of the game. Against Granada’s 2-3 zone, the Knights found an opening near the baseline that allowed Dante Ogbu to connect with a pair of threes. The Knights closed the half with 39-27.
Now it’s Gonzaga for Stromer and Duke for Foster. They have earned a special place in Notre Dame sports history.
“That means everything to me,” Stromer said of winning the championship. “I promised my teammates last year that I will.”
Source: LA Times