Pro Basketball

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.

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 in 500 carries and has caught 83 passes for 620 yards and one touchdown.

Linebacker Ernest Jones of Oregon, a third-round draft choice, has signed with the Rams. The team has five of its 10 draft choices under contract. Jones, 6 feet 2 and 250 pounds, was the 100th player chosen in the 1994 draft and the Rams’ third choice in the third round.

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.

Local Notes

Tiger Woods of Cypress shot a two-under 70 and Chris Berry of Yorba Linda carded a 77 at the California State Amateur golf tournament Tuesday at Pebble Beach. Both players qualified for match play, which begins today.

Woods shot a 73 in the first round, and his total of 143 was second to Steve Woods of San Jose. Steve Woods shot 73 Tuesday after an opening round 69. Berry shot 73 in the first round of the tournament, which is being played on the Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill courses.

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Terry Noe of Fullerton and David Searle of Huntington Beach each shot two-over 74 to trail the leaders by two strokes in the first round of the Mission Hills junior golf tournament in Rancho Mirage.

Leaders Josh Levin of San Francisco and Darren Angel of Northridge each shot even-par 72 at the 6,894-yard course at Mission Hills Country Club.

Ryan Donovan of Yorba Linda shot 75, John Park of Fullerton 76, Jimmy Lee of Irvine 77, John Lee of Placentia 78, and Benjamin Bost of Mission Viejo 78.

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David Irby was named men’s soccer coach at Concordia University, Athletic Director Mary Holl said Tuesday.

Irby coached the Eagles in 1989, leading them to a 7-9-1 record. From 1977-80, Irby coached at Azusa Pacific and was 46-26-5. The Cougars appeared in three consecutive District 3 playoffs under Irby.

Irby replaced Steve DePonte, who resigned after two seasons.

Greg Olson, who played at Southern California College, and Pat Noyes, who played at Pacific and coaches boys’ soccer at Villa Park High, will serve as Irby’s assistants.

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Chris Duncan has been named water polo coach at Laguna Hills High, Athletic Director Dave Brown said Tuesday.

Duncan coached the Laguna Hills boys’ swimming team this season. The Hawks finished second in the Southern Section Division III finals. He played water polo at Cal State Chico, Orange Coast College and Costa Mesa High, and also served as a graduate assistant water polo coach at Chico.

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Marc Harrison, who coached the boys’ junior varsity basketball team at Kennedy last year and the freshmen the year before, was named the school’s varsity girls’ basketball coach on Tuesday.

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Jim Falletta, a 6-foot-6 forward from Cypress College and Troy High School, said he will attend Chapman and play basketball next season.