Just one week after making her official visit to campus, 6-foot-5 center Chante Black decided to forgo her remaining recruiting trips to Georgia, LSU and Connecticut and commit to the women's basketball program at Duke.
Black, a senior from Winston-Salem, N.C., joined Laura Kurz as the second member of the class of 2008. The versatile inside player was impressed with both the athletic and the academic environment at Duke.
"It came down to the academics and just being able to fit in with Duke's team," Black said. "It's a great family to be a part of, and the campus is absolutely beautiful. I saw that Duke was the perfect fit for me."
As a junior at East Forsyth High School, Black averaged 20.5 points, 16.5 rebounds and 7 blocks per game while shooting 58 percent from the floor. Her rare combination of size, speed and athleticism made her one of the most sought-after players in the country.
"I think that Chante is a great athlete and she runs the floor better than any post player that I've seen in a long time," recruiting guru Bret McCormick said. "She's already a great player--probably the best post player in the class--but she's got tremendous upside and can get a lot better."
With the addition of Black, Duke continues to build an imposing inside presence that it has lacked in recent years.
The Blue Devils have traditionally been known for their stellar guard play, but the current freshman class includes 6-foot-3 Brittany Hunter and 6-foot-7 Alison Bales. Adding Black to a Hunter-Bales tandem could give Duke the biggest front line in the nation for several years.
"Duke doesn't really go inside too much, but they're probably going to have to start doing that now," McCormick said. "Both Bales and Black are true low-post players and should give them more of an inside-outside game."
In addition to boosting the basketball program, Black, an honorable mention Street & Smith All-American in 2001 and 2002, plans to take advantage of Duke's academic opportunities as well. She is interested in pathology and hopes to pursue the biotechnology field at Duke.
"While I was visiting, I got to take a tour with one of the pathologists at Duke hospital," Black said. "I haven't completely narrowed down my [academic focus], but I was very impressed."
The future Blue Devil will spend the next year trying to build up her strength to prepare for the rigors of college basketball. However, after participating in last summer's elite 2003 USA Basketball Women's Youth Development Festival, Black is somewhat accustomed to the facing the nation's premier players.
"I don't think she would have any problem playing with a lot of really good players," said Brian Robinson, Black's AAU coach for the past five years. "She's played on Team North Carolina and with USA Basketball, so she's used to being around a lot of talent."
Despite joining a star-studded roster and having to compete for playing time, Black excited about the transition to the college game.
"Playing with great players is something that will make me better," she said. "I definitely like that challenge."
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