Two Players Sue NBA Over Salary Cap Reduction

Two players sued the NBA on Monday, alleging the league’s salary cap was artificially reduced this season by $2.75 million per team.

The suit was filed in federal court in Newark, N.J., by David Wood of the Golden State Warriors and Howard Eisley of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The lawsuit contends the NBA lowered the players’ share of revenues by some $74 million, anticipating a contribution to the players’ pre-pension benefit plan. But the plan was terminated by the union last June, so the suit alleges the money would improperly go back to team owners.

The players are seeking an increase in the salary cap of about $2.75 million per team.

College Basketball

A former Baylor basketball player said Coach Darrel Johnson was present when another player copied answers to a correspondence-course exam at the school’s basketball office.

Marcus Thompson told the Houston Chronicle that Johnson observed Shannon Brantley, the recruit, copying test answers in August of 1993.

Johnson said he “was under a university gag order and could not comment on the investigation.”

Illinois center Shelley Clark was charged with two counts of home invasion for an incident at his former girlfriend’s apartment Saturday, investigators said.

Clark entered a plea of not guilty and was released on $10,000 bond. The judge said Clark also must stay away from his former girlfriend.

Miscellany

Stanford’s Tiger Woods shot a five-under 139 and was three strokes behind leader Ian Steel of Auburn at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate golf tournament at Shoal Creek in Birmingham, Ala.

San Jose Shark defensemen Shawn Cronin and Ilya Byakin were jailed and released in separate drunken driving incidents, Santa Clara County police said.

Carlos Costa of Spain, who upset Pete Sampras last year, was defeated by qualifier Daniel Vacek of the Czech Republic, 6-3, 6-7 (7-9), 6-1, in the first round of the Stockholm Open.

Mediator W.J. Usery will meet with the union’s staff today in New York, but both sides in the baseball strike probably won’t meet jointly until the end of next week at the earliest. . . . Pitching coach Moe Drabowsky and first base coach Jose Martinez were fired by the Chicago Cubs.

Shaquille O’Neal, the most valuable player of the World Championships of Basketball, and Dawn Staley, the most valuable player of the Goodwill Games, were chosen as USA Basketball’s athletes of the year.

The owner of the Canadian Football League’s first U.S. franchise said it will not return to Sacramento next season unless it gets a new stadium. Fred Anderson, owner of the Gold Miners, said Cal State Sacramento’s stadium is too small.

Steve Born of Ketchum, Ida., won the Furnace Creek 508, a 510-mile bicycle race from Valencia to Twenty Nine Palms in 31 hours 9 minutes. Emmy Klassen of Ojai won the women’s division for the second consecutive year, in 36:10.01.

Carlos Hernandez (19-0-1, 11 KOs) knocked out Fernando Rosas (8-0) in the fourth round of their scheduled eight-round lightweight bout at the Forum.