Timberwolves Will Stay Put in Minnesota

The Timberwolves will remain in Minnesota for at least one more season. And NBA Commissioner David Stern believes they’ll stay much longer.

The NBA Board of Governors voted Tuesday to reject the sale of the Timberwolves to a group that planned to move the team to New Orleans. The owners followed the recommendation of the league’s relocation committee, which decided last week that an offer by Top Rank of Louisiana was inadequately financed.

Later Tuesday, team owners Marvin Wolfenson and Harvey Ratner filed a lawsuit in Minneapolis claiming the deal fell through because Top Rank didn’t turn over information the NBA had requested.

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Coach George Karl and Bob Whitsitt of the Seattle SuperSonics both got what they wanted--Karl a better contract and Whitsitt, the team’s president and general manager, a release from the final three years of his five-year contract.

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The Clippers have denied the Washington Bullets permission to talk to trainer Keith Jones and have threatened to file tampering charges if they pursue him.

Jurisprudence

State prison investigators in Indiana are looking into an inmate’s allegations that several officials accepted payments for giving preferential treatment to former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson.

Takema Tate of Hayward, Calif., a student at Laney College in Oakland, has filed a lawsuit against Jason Kidd, saying the former Cal basketball player hit and pushed her during a party at his apartment in March.

Tom Wineland, a teen-ager arrested along with tennis star Jennifer Capriati, pleaded no contest in Miami to drug charges and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

Football

Running back Craig (Ironhead) Heyward agreed to a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons. Heyward, 27, played five seasons with the New Orleans Saints and one with the Chicago Bears. He has rushed for 2,019 yards on 500 carries and has caught 83 passes for 620 yards and one touchdown.

Nine bowls presented elaborate packages to collegiate conferences, hoping to land one of three major postseason football games in Bowl Coalition II.

The money to pay for a car bought by Florida State cornerback Corey Sawyer was wired under the name of a Cincinnati Bengal player, defensive lineman John Copeland, the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reported. Copeland said he knew nothing of the $29,218.25 sent to Sawyer’s account.

College Basketball

Wake Forest athletic officials expressed relief after the NCAA put the school on a year’s probation for its dealings with basketball recruit Makhtar Ndiaye, the first sanctions ever levied against the school.

The probation will not keep the Demons Deacons off live television or out of the NCAA tournament.

The Portland Trail Blazers are talking with Seton Hall Coach P.J. Carlesimo about becoming their coach, an unidentified source told The Associated Press.

An 18-month investigation will end Thursday when the NCAA releases its findings and proposes penalties for Ohio State’s men’s basketball program.

Golf

Steve Woods of Upland, a student at San Jose State, shot a one-over 73 to win the medal in the California Golf Assn. (State) Amateur Championship at Pebble Beach. His 73 followed Monday’s three-under 69 at Spyglass Hill for a two-under 142. Tiger Woods, 18, of Cypress finished at 143. Woods, who has won the last three USGA junior championships, clipped two strokes off par at Pebble Beach and finished at 73-70.

Miscellany

The body of the missing older brother of Norwegian Olympic skiing medalist Vegard Ulvang was found this week. Ketil Ulvang disappeared during a sudden snowstorm in the mountains near his arctic hometown last October. The body was spotted this week in a lake by an army helicopter crew.

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Officials at Brainerd (Minn.) International Raceway said Jason Scraba, 24, of Calgary was killed when his brakes failed during a Central Roadracing Assn. motorcycle race.