IN BRIEF : Norm Nixon Makes Debut in Italy

American basketball star Norm Nixon made a successful debut for Scavolini Pesaro on Sunday as his team downed Philips Milan 72-71 in the next-to-last round of the Italian major league regular season.

Nixon, formerly of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers, scored 10 points and made decisive defensive moves. His American teammate, Darren Daye, scored 25 points.

Bob McAdoo, the American veteran of Philips, was the game’s top scorer with 38 points, although he played for only 35 minutes.

Scavolini, the league leader, and Philips, which dropped to third place overall after Sunday’s defeat, both qualified for the playoffs.