by Tommy Bowman, Journal Reporter , Winston-Salem Journal

Chante Black

Chante Black said she often dreamed about playing in the WNBA when she was honing her skills at East Forsyth High School, and she knew the last couple of years at Duke that she would indeed be drafted.

It became reality for Black yesterday. She was selected by the Connecticut Sun in the first round of the WNBA draft, as the 10th pick overall.

Black was one of 15 college players invited to the draft, which was televised live by ESPN2.

"You always dream," Black said. "But you can call it a relief right now. Because ever since I was invited to the draft, it's been 'Where am I going to go in the draft?' and 'Who's going to take me and when?' So now that it's finally done, it's a relief, and now it's all about preparing for this next level."

Black, a 6-5 center from Winston-Salem, averaged 14.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots for Duke this past season and was named the ACC's defensive player of the year.

She is the fifth Duke player to be drafted among the WNBA's top 10, following Lindsey Harding (No. 1 in 2007), Alana Beard (No. 2 in 2004), Monique Curry (No. 3 in 2006) and Alison Bales (No. 9 in 2007).

Black said she was chosen about where she expected, and was pleased to have been selected by the Sun - which finished second in the WNBA's Eastern Conference last season before losing in the playoffs.

"Connecticut is a great team," Black said. "They are a very good transition team, and as a post player I get up and down the floor pretty well. I know they're looking for a defensive stopper and a rebounder, and those are strengths of mine.

"I've been able to watch a couple of their games, and they have a great point guard in Lindsay Whalen and Tamika Whitmore at the post."

The WNBA season starts on June 5.

Angel McCoughtry of Louisville went as the No. 1 pick yesterday, to the Atlanta Dream, and Maryland teammates Marissa Coleman (Washington Mystics) and Kristi Toliver (Chicago Sky) were second and third.

McCoughtry, a forward, averaged 22.8 points and 9.5 rebounds during her last three seasons and led the Cardinals to a runner-up finish Tuesday in the NCAA Tournament.

Coleman, a 6-1 forward, averaged 18.1 points and 8.6 rebounds, and Toliver averaged a team-high 18.4 points and 4.9 assists and 3.2 rebounds in helping Maryland to the NCAA regional semifinals.

"It means a lot," Coleman said of being the second overall pick. "Just kind of seals the deal as hard as I've worked."

The Minnesota Lynx took Connecticut's Renee Montgomery with the fourth pick, and the Phoenix Mercury took Auburn's DeWann Bonner at No. 5.

The next seven picks had: Arizona State's Briann January at No. 6 (Indiana Fever); Oklahoma's Courtney Paris at No. 7 (Sacramento Monarchs). Rutgers' Kia Vaughn at No. 8 (New York Liberty), Virginia Commonwealth's Quanitra Hollingsworth at No. 9 (Minnesota), Black at No. 10, Pittsburgh's Shavonte Zellous at No. 11 (Detroit Shock); California's Ashley Walker at No. 12 (Seattle Storm).

ACC players who went in the second round were: North Carolina's Rashanda McCants (No. 15, Minnesota); Virginia's Lyndra Littles (No. 17, Connecticut); Florida State's Britany Miller (No. 18, Detroit); and Duke's Abby Waner (No. 21, New York).

- Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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