Creighton's Marcus Foster
For the Creighton Bluejays, one-and-done is not a whole lot of fun.
Last season the Bluejays were the envy of the BIG EAST as they had the good fortune of rolling out 7-0 freshman center Justin Patton each night as he played his way into conference Freshman of the Year honors by helping lead Creighton to a 25-10 record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Then, just like that, the NBA came calling and Patton was gone. Now a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Patton leaves a seven-foot gap in Creighton’s 2017-18 plans.
Will the Bluejays miss Patton? Um, yeah. But that doesn’t mean Creighton’s cupboard is bare. In fact, it includes another name that is sure to make opposing teams envious again this season - Marcus Foster.
Let the accolades begin.
“His leadership is really going to be important this year, he and Khyri Thomas both,” Creighton head coach Greg McDermott said. “They’re our two best players and with that comes having to shoulder leadership responsibility. Marcus came back in as good a shape he ever has coming off the summer. His ball handling has really improved, he’s shooting at a higher level and his defense has become more important to him - but not as important as I’d like it to become. But we’re going to go as far as he takes us this year because he is very talented.”
Foster, a unanimous Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team pick this season, was also a unanimous postseason First Team pick last year after he finished third in the league in scoring at an 18.2 per-game clip. By the way, Foster became the first Bluejays player not named Doug McDermott to be named to the conference’s First Team while his scoring average was the highest for a Creighton first-year player in almost 50 years.
But Creighton is no one-trick pony. Foster will be ably assisted by junior Khyri Thomas, who was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year last season while also averaging 12.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists. Not a bad wingman to have at your disposal.
“Our strengths are on the wing with Khyri Thomas and Marcus Foster,” McDermott said. “Our pace will also be a strength. I think we can still play at a considerable pace and put pressure on the defense. And I think our depth is pretty good, albeit some of it will be young. But our freshmen have proven in practice that they are ready to contribute in some form.”
There are many who view Thomas as one of the more underrated players in the conference. But McDermott knows the value Thomas brings to the Bluejays on a nightly basis.
“He’s one of the most unselfish players I’ve ever coached,” McDermott said. “He’s terrific defensively but offensively he was 50% from the field and almost 40% from the three-point line and 80% from the free throw line. And he was third in the league in assists in league play, only so the guy does a lot that maybe goes unnoticed. He’s been terrific for us.”
Where the Bluejays may run into difficulty this season is on the frontline where Patton had his way for the most part last season. Now the Jays will turn to a couple of veterans and a few new faces to firm up the front.
“We do have a little experience there,” McDermott said. “We have Toby Hegner coming back and Ronnie Harrell played some. We have Martin Krampelj who played some for us last year and probably has made the most progress of anyone in the program in the offseason.”
The Bluejays will also have the services of 6-10, 250-pound senior Manny Suarez, who averaged 16.9 points and 9.4 rebounds last season, albeit for Division II Adelphi, as well as 6-11 freshman Jacob Epperson.
“So I think the combination by committee of those five will spend a lot of time on the front line,” McDermott said.
Another area of concern, at least at the start of the season, is who will be the Bluejays starting point guard. Syracuse transfer Kaleb Joseph, who many expected to earn the starting gig, has been slowed by injury in the preseason. The other options include sophomore Davion Mintz and wily veteran walk-on Tyler Clement.
“Unfortunately (point guard) is not locked up yet,” McDermott said. “Kaleb has been fighting some hamstring problems since the start of practice so he hasn’t practiced much which has been difficult for us and him. But Davion Mintz played some for us last year and he did a good job late in the season so he’s developing. Ty-Shon Alexander is a freshman and he’s been a pleasant surprise with his ability. And we have a fifth-year walk-on in Tyler Clement who played important minutes (last year) in the BIG EAST Tournament and helped us get to the championship game.“
Assuming Joseph’s hamstring comes around, and Foster and Thomas are, well, Foster and Thomas, the Bluejays should be their usual points-o’plenty team. But if you’re looking for a couple of new names to watch in Omaha this season, McDermott seems to be very high on his freshman trio of the 6-4 Alexander, 6-5 Mitch Ballock and the 6-11 Jacob Epperson.
“Ty-Shon Alexander has done some good things playing both point guard and the off-guard position and Mitch Ballock has probably stood out a little more,” McDermott said. “His basketball IQ is off the charts for a freshman and he shoots it extremely well. And Jacob is going to play for us. He can run and catch and he’s very gifted physically.”