Latin's Chadwick tested again

Published January 9, 2008

By Langston Wertz Jr.

The Charlotte Observer

Saturday night, when Charlotte Latin nearly upset private school state champion Christ School, the Hawks' best player was sitting at the end of the bench.

Junior David Chadwick was wearing a blue nylon jacket and khaki pants. In the ninth grade, he suffered his second severe knee injury in two years. He repeated the grade (family decision) and took nearly two years to get to 100 percent.

Over the summer, he worked with a former Charlotte Hornets trainer.

Chadwick, who has scholarship offers from Charlotte and James Madison, also was at Latin three times a day, for two 90-minute skills sessions plus scrimmage time.

Thicker and stronger, Chadwick -- whose father, also named David, played for Dean Smith at North Carolina from 1968 through '71 -- had morphed into a totally different player when the 2007-08 season began in November. He'd added four inches to his vertical leap. His game had new passion.

He was demanding the ball, scoring with a variety of quick post moves, 3-point shots and jump hooks. He was averaging 17 points and eight rebounds.

Then, in the Bojangles' Shootout Dec. 29, Chadwick went up for a shot and came down on an East Mecklenburg player's foot. Saturday night, after the Christ School game, Chadwick said his ankle was still discolored and swollen.

Another bad injury.

"It's disappointing," he said. "I was playing the best I've ever played. But I'm a firm believer that God has a plan. I think He'll come up with something good and I can't question it. I've just got to work my hardest to get back."

Chadwick will miss tonight's showdown with state power Concord Cannon, but he won't quit working. He's polite and smart and easy to talk to, but he's also determined.

I think he'll come back better than ever.

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