New Jersey No Home for 76ers

Governor-elect Christie Whitman on Wednesday blocked a proposal to build an arena in Camden, N.J., for the Philadelphia 76ers, saying the deal would be too risky for New Jersey taxpayers.

Whitman’s rejection was sharply criticized by Gov. Jim Florio, the outgoing Democrat who last month said a deal to move the team to Camden was very close.

“Unfortunately for the 76ers, we got caught between two governors,” 76er owner Harold Katz said. “I hope politics wasn’t the issue, but I feel it may have been.”

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Cedric Ceballos of the Phoenix Suns agreed to perform community service in exchange for dismissal of misdemeanor charges for carrying a concealed weapon in a nightclub.

College Football

Barry Alvarez, who led Wisconsin to its first Rose Bowl appearance in 31 years, was voted coach of the year by the American Football Coaches Assn.

In response to reports linking him with NFL coaching jobs, Florida Coach Steve Spurrier said he “will definitely be coaching the Gators in 1994 and hopefully for many years to come.”

Florida State receiver Tamarick Vanover has apparently made up his mind to leave school after two years and play pro football, but school officials don’t know where he is.

Tennis

Defending champion Pete Sampras eased into the semifinals of the New South Wales Open with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Aaron Krickstein at Sydney, Australia.

Sampras will face fifth-seeded Petr Korda in the semifinals. Korda won, 6-3, 6-2, over fellow Czech Daniel Vacek.

Speedskating

The Milwaukee district attorney found no evidence of foul play in a forklift accident at an ice center that left speedskater Brian Kretschmann of Brookfield, Wis., critically injured. . . . The day after donating bone marrow to her sick brother, Olympic speedskater Kristen Talbot of Schuylerville, N.Y., said she has begun using an exercise bike and should be ready to return to the ice by Monday.

Names in the News

Right-hander Tommy Greene agreed to a $2-million, one-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. Greene, 26, made $390,000 last season, when he was 16-4 with a 3.42 earned-run average. . . . Center Alexei Yashin of the Ottawa Senators and right wings Joe Mullen of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Russ Courtnall of the Dallas Stars were added to the conference teams for the NHL All-Star game Jan. 22 at New York. . . . Dan O’Brien, the world champion and world record-holder in the decathlon, cut three fingers on his right hand and required 10 stitches to close the wounds when he slipped on ice and fell outside his home at Moscow, Ida.