It took about three weeks longer than expected to get the paperwork completed correctly, but Duquesne received signed national letters of intent from Detroit Northwestern High School teammates 5-foot-10 Eric Evans and 6-7 Shawntez Patterson yesterday.

In addition, 6-8 Ali Djim, a native of Chad in Central Africa and a senior at Bethel Christian High School in Hampton, Va., accepted a scholarship.

The 2008-09 class also includes 6-1 Johnny Higgins of Notre Dame (Mass.) Prep, where current assistant Bill Barton was the head coach last season.

Evans, a candidate for Michigan's Mr. Basketball, averaged 23.8 points and 7.1 assist last season. He had 25 points, 7 assists and 7 steals in a season-opening 71-55 win against Detroit Crockett. Evans also was a free safety on the football team and returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown to lead Northwestern to a 13-12 win against Osborn for the school's first city championship in 30 years.

"He's one of the top guards in Michigan, if not the best," Duquesne coach Ron Everhart said of Evans. "He can come right in and help us because he fits what we do perfectly. That we're able to attract a caliber of player of Evans and go into Michigan and get two of the top players in the state says something about Duquesne's program."

Patterson averaged 14.8 points and 8.6 rebounds last season.

"He's a little under the radar, but he's a guy on the rise," Everhart said of Patterson. "He's long and real athletic with the potential to be an outstanding player in the Atlantic 10."