Notre Dame basketball wins first CIF State crown thanks to Caleb Foster’s record-setting performance
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SACRAMENTO — Earlier in the season, the Notre Dame boys basketball team had a stretch of games where it lost five of seven games, including a three-game losing streak.
Coach Matt Sargeant said the team was in search of its identity during the final minutes of games. In basketball, they call that “crunch time.”
Dante Ogbu #20 of Notre Dame shoots against Andrew Mckeever #45 of Granada and teammate Tyler Harris #5 of Granada in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Matt Sargeant of Notre Dame reads after a foul in the first half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game against Granada at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Caleb Foster #3 of Notre Dame drives to the basket against Tyler Harris #5 of Granada in the first half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Dusty Stromer #4 of Notre Dame drives to the basket against Matai Faiaipa’u #3 of Granada in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Caleb Foster #3 of Notre Dame takes a shot in the first half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game against Granada at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Mercy Miller #25 of Notre Dame drives to the basket against Granada in the first half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Andrew Mckeever #45 of Granada blocks the shot by Zachary White #2 of Notre Dame in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Mercy Miller #25 of Notre Dame drives to the basket against Granada in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Mercy Miller #25 of Notre Dame shoots against NaVaughn Long #2 of Granada in the first half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Caleb Foster #3 of Notre Dame hangs on the rim after dunking the ball in the first half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game against Granada at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Mercy Miller #25 of Notre Dame shoots against Granada in the first half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
NaVaughn Long #2 of Granada blocks the shot by Mercy Miller #25 of Notre Dame in the first half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Caleb Foster #3 of Notre Dame drives to the basket against Tyler Harris #5 of Granada in the first half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Mercy Miller #25 of Notre Dame drives to the basket against Granada in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Dusty Stromer #4 of Notre Dame controls the ball against Granada in the first half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Mercy Miller #25 of Notre Dame slam dunks against Granada in the first half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Caleb Foster #3 of Notre Dame slam dunks against Granada in the first half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Notre Dame fights for the rebound against Granada in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Caleb Foster #3 of Notre Dame drives to the basket against Granada in the first half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Caleb Foster #3 of Notre Dame at the free throw line against Granada in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Caleb Foster #3 of Notre Dame shoots over NaVaughn Long #2 of Granada in the first half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
A young Granada fan holds up a sign against Notre Dame in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Caleb Foster #3 of Notre Dame shoots against Granada in the first half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Caleb Foster #3 of Notre Dame scores against Granada in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Mercy Miller #25 of Notre Dame reaches for the loose ball against Tyler Harris #5 of Granada in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Matt Sargeant of Notre Dame reacts toward an official in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game against Granada at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Matt Sargeant of Notre Dame reacts against Granada in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Caleb Foster #3 of Notre Dame slam dunks against Granada in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Caleb Foster #3 of Notre Dame drives to the basket against Granada in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Mercy Miller #25 of Notre Dame reaches for the loose ball against Granada in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Caleb Foster #3 of Notre Dame drives to the basket against Kevin Grant #30 of Granada in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Caleb Foster #3 of Notre Dame scores against Granada in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Dante Ogbu #20 of Notre Dame drives to the basket against Granada in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Zachary White #2 of Notre Dame riches for the loose ball against Granada in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Caleb Foster #3 of Notre Dame is fouled by Tyler Harris #5 of Granada in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Caleb Foster #3 of Notre Dame shoots a free throw against Granada in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Tyler Harris #5 of Granada blocks the shot by Mercy Miller #25 of Notre Dame in the second half of a boys basketball CIF State Division I championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
“We still don’t know exactly what that looks like yet,” he said in January. “But we’re getting closer.”
When crunch time comes, a team has to ask itself these kinds of questions …
What can the team rely on when it needs to make a play? Who can the team turn to when it needs to win?
The answer is Caleb Foster.
The Duke-bound guard scored a game-high 33 points on 12-of-17 shooting, added six rebounds and six assists to lead Notre Dame to the program’s first CIF State title by topping Livermore Granada 67-58 in the Division I final at the Golden 1 Center Friday night.
Foster’s 33 points broke the CIF State Division I record that had been held by Michael Manning of Oakland’s Castlemont since 1981.
This free throw gives Duke-bound Caleb Foster 33 points and the CIF State Division I final individual scoring record previously held by Michael Manning of Castlemont, Oakland in 1981. pic.twitter.com/xYKlGKrCE5
In the CIF State playoffs, Foster scored 21 points in a win over Fairfax (84-68), 28 points in a win over Mira Costa (58-39), 19 points in a win over Mater Dei (81-59), and 28 points in the regional final win over Sierra Canyon.
“I give all the credit to my teammates,” Foster said of his spirited play. “Them and the coaching staff believed in me.”
There was a stretch from the first into the second quarter where Foster scored 10 straight points, including two NBA-range 3-pointers, and tallied 12 of the team’s 15 points which opened up a 30-18 lead and an eventual 39-27 halftime advantage.
The game got a little tighter when starting freshman Zach White, who had the task of guarding Granada’s 7-foot center Andrew Mckeever, fouled out with 2:09 to play in the third frame and the Knights hanging on to a 48-40 lead at the end of the quarter.
Halfway into the fourth quarter, Foster drove to the basket and drew a fifth foul on Mckeever to foul him out of the game with Noter Dame winning 55-40 with 4:37 left to play.
Foster was fouled nine times in the game.
“I can’t think anyone I’ve coached against or coached that is as tough to guard as Caleb Foster,” Sargeant said.
Sargeant referenced a team meeting after The Classic at Damien tournament after Christmas where the players made a commitment to a goal of winning a state title.
“We asked ourselves what we really wanted out of this season,” Sargeant said. “We agreed we wanted to be here, at this moment, and we’re here.”
Mercy Miller added 17 points and nine rebounds and Dante Ogbu had 10 points, including two 3s, for Notre Dame. Ogbu was a key role player who developed a consistent 3-point shot, specifically from the corner. Ogbu finished the season shooting over 45% from downtown.
“With guys like Caleb, Mercy and Dusty out there, teams leave me open,” Ogbu said. “It’s definitely something I’ve worked on, and it’s paid off.”
Notre Dame’s big three of Stromer, Foster, Miller have a winning chemistry that lifted team to its first state final
Dusty Stromer, who has been battling a back injury, scored just three points, but provided invaluable qualities to the team’s success this season and Friday night.
“Dusty really shouldn’t even be playing, but he’s so tough,” Sargeant said.
Stromer, a Gonzaga commit, ends his high school career as “Mr. Notre Dame,” having become the program’s all-time leader in wins. The four-year standout walked off the court Friday night with a storied high school career and a CIF State championship.
“Coach and I have been talking about this since I was a freshman,” Stromer said. “This means everything. I promised my teammates that we would do this, and we did it. I’m grateful to my teammates and coaches that we were able to make this happen.”
Mr. Notre Dame. Dusty Stromer, the program’s all-time leader in wins. CIF State champion. pic.twitter.com/LGRMxLiLdj
