Duquesne coach Ron Everhart added a recruit to the men's basketball program and subtracted another one yesterday.

The newest player to sign a national letter of intent is Chase Robinson, a 6-foot-3 combination guard who averaged 23.3 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists per game as a senior this past season at Lee High School in Huntsville, Ala. Robinson, who chose Duquesne over Tulane and Saint Louis, was Class 5A first-team all-state.

"He's a great shooter with good instincts for the game," Everhart said of Robinson, who averaged 19.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists as a junior. "He's a highly motivated student and a very high character guy."

The other recruit to sign with Duquesne this spring is B.J. Monteiro, a 6-5 guard who is the Connecticut Player of the Year. Eric Evans, a 5-10 playmaker and Michigan Mr. Basketball runner-up, and 6-7 Shawntez Patterson, both from Detroit Northwestern High School, signed in the fall.

As expected, Everhart released 6-2 Johnny Higgins of Notre Dame Prep in Massachusetts from his national letter of intent. Higgins signed in the fall.

"I had the opportunity to speak to Johnny and his parents at length," Everhart said, "and we came to the conclusion that pursuing options outside of furthering his career at Duquesne University would be in Johnny's best interest."