The drive from Granite Bay to Chico takes a little more than an hour and a half. But Robert Duncan took the long way. The Granite Bay High School product spent last year at the United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School in Colorado Springs, Colo., before recently signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball at Chico State.

Duncan, a 6-foot-3 guard, averaged 20 points per game as a senior at Granite Bay and averaged 24 points per game in the Sac-Joaquin Section Championships.

“We are really excited about the signing of Robert Duncan. He is going to be a very exciting player for Wildcat fans to watch,” said Wildcats Head Coach Greg Clink. “He is a very good athlete and possesses an excellent skill set. We are looking forward to Robert becoming a Wildcat and being a part of the great tradition we have built.”

Duncan led Granite Bay to the 2010-11 Sierra Foothill League title and then scored 27 points in the section semifinals to lead the Grizzlies into the section title game.

He joins Ryan Wright and Trevor Priest to wrap up Clink’s 2012-13 recruiting class. The 6-foot-6 Wright was the No. 13 ranked prep in California heading into his senior season according to Cal High Sports. He averaged 16 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 1.8 assists and 1.6 blocks per game last season. Priest signed an NLI last November. The 6-foot-5 wing averaged 21.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.4 blocks per game during his senior season at Santa Teresa High School, earning Mount Hamilton League MVP honors in the process.

The trio joins a program still riding high after winning its first ever California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) title and a school-record 25 games last season before bowing in the second round of the NCAA Championship Tournament against eventual National Champion Western Washington University. Four starters return from that team, along with nine reserves.