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For the Love of Life - or the Love of Basketball

© Colleen Bittner

On December 8, 1996, with one minute to go in an American Basketball League game, the Colorado Xplosion versus the Atlanta Glory, Point Guard Debbie Black had 14 rebounds, 12 assists, and 10 steals. She had already registered a triple double, but that wasn't good enough for her. Debbie had eight points, and she was determined to make that ten. Her coach told her to take it to the hoop, so she did, earning the fifth-ever quadruple-double in professional basketball history, and was the first ever in women's basketball.

"It was my best-ever performance in my career." Debbie told ESPN. "It was just awesome. There have only been four people in the NBA to do it, ever. That makes it that much more of an honor."

When you see Black out on the court, there is this energy about her, almost what could be described as hyperness. Debbie calls it "A love of life." It fits. Debbie lists soccer, softball, field hockey and volleyball as her favorite sports. All of them. With basketball as a given, of course. At St. Josephs University Debbie was captain of the Hawks field hockey team, the starting third baseman in softball, and Point Guard for the Basketball team. She was Named to the 1988 All-District team and to the All-Atlantic 10 Conference first team. Black Was named the 1988 MVP of the Philadelphia Big Five as well.

After Debbie Black graduated from college, she looked to play professionally overseas. Despite her 5-2 frame, Debbie was picked up by the Tasmanian Islanders. It wasn't because of her exceptional game at first though. A scouting magazine had incorrectly listed Black as being 6 foot 3 inches, and they immediately snatched her up. Once Debbie arrived though and her team saw her play, her small size didn't matter anymore. She stayed eight years with that team, and brought them to win the Australian National Championship.

In 1996, the native of Warminster, Pennsylvania began playing for the American Basketball League in its inaugural season. She was drafted to the Colorado Xplosion, where she was finally able to show her home country what she was capable of doing professionally. That love of life Debbie has carried inside of her brought her far in the ABL. In 1997 Debbie's aggressiveness brought her three cracked ribs, but that didn't stop her. She played despite her injury, and was named to the All-Star team, and at the end of the season she was named ABL Defensive Player of the Year.

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