Duke basketball: Positive stretch continues as another guard will return

The Duke basketball program is returning its best defensive player for one more season. 

Celeste Taylor isn’t done being a member of the Duke basketball program just yet.

The senior guard announced on Monday that she will be returning to the Blue Devils for her final year of eligibility.

“The best part about Duke is the standard of excellence to which everyone is held,” Taylor said in her social media video.

“The sky is far from the limit. I wouldn’t want to spend my final years of college basketball anywhere else.”

Taylor, in her second year at Duke after transferring from Texas, averaged 11.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.2 steals per game this season on 39.4-percent shooting from the field.

https://twitter.com/_celeste620/status/1640396755995967518

The Valley Stream, New York native was also named as the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and nominated for the Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Duke struggled offensively this year, averaging just 63.6 points per contest, and it caught up to the Blue Devils in the NCAA Tournament after losing to Colorado in the Round of 32 while shooting 3-for-18 in the fourth quarter and overtime.

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“The first day I stepped foot on campus I wore a shirt that said Leave a Legacy. That’s what I intend to do,” Taylor continued.

“I believe I am not quite done yet.”

Duke basketball also sees guard enter transfer portal

Despite the return of Celeste Taylor, head coach Kara Lawson learned that sophomore guard Shayeann Day-Wilson will be entering the transfer portal.

Day-Wilson started 29 of 33 games for the Blue Devils and averaged 8.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per contest on 33.7-percent shooting.

“This decision was not easy, but it was the best decision for me and my family,” the Toronto native said in a statement.

“After a lot of thoughts and prayers I have decided to enter my name into the transfer portal.”

Duke will bring in Jadyn Donovan, Oluchi Okananwa and Delaney Thomas in its recruiting class next fall.