THE SIDELINES : Coach Who Quit in Scandal Hired

Dean Nicholson, who resigned at Central Washington University last month in a player-payment scandal, was named head coach of Yakima’s new entry in the Continental Basketball Assn. this morning.

The former Sizzlers of Topeka, Kan., have been purchased by Robert Wilson, a former California state senator who is now an attorney in Sacramento. He announced the move in a news conference.

Nicholson, 63, spent 26 years as Central Washington’s head coach, and is 17th on the all-time college coaching victory list with a record of 609-219. But it took the player-payment scandal to push him into the professional coaching ranks.

Nicholson resigned April 2, the same day a university auditor revealed that he distributed more than $65,000 earned by his basketball camps to 49 players over the last three years. A report by a state auditor covering Central’s athletic program is expected to be released this week.