Cal Denies Transfer Requests

California athletic officials have denied requests from forward Tremaine Fowlkes and center Michael Stewart to be released from their basketball scholarships.

Athletic Director John Kasser said the players can appeal.

“I am adamant about this, as is [Coach] Todd [Bozeman],” Kasser said. “These are very important parts of our program, and we have invested a great deal of time and effort into them. It’s in the best interest of everyone [not to release them].”

“It’s out of my hands right now,” said Fowlkes, a sophomore who in his first year was named the 1995 Pac-10 freshman of the year. “All I can do is concentrate on my classes.”

Tennis

Top-seeded Pete Sampras overcame Jan Siemerink of the Netherlands, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), in the semifinals and will meet No. 2 Michael Chang in today’s final at the $328,000 Salem Open in Hong Kong. Chang, 7-9 in head-to-head meetings with Sampras, beat Australian Todd Woodbridge, 6-3, 6-4.

Thomas Muster of Austria, the world’s top-ranked player, was extended to three sets and two hours before finally beating Spain’s Alex Corretja, 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 6-0, in the semifinals of the Estoril Open in Portugal. Muster will meet his training partner, Andrea Guadenzi of Italy, in today’s final.

Top-seeded Thomas Enqvist of Sweden outlasted American Jonathan Stark, 7-6 (8-6), 7-5, and Byron Black of Zimbabwe defeated Alex Radulescu of Germany, 6-4, 6-4, in the semifinals of the Indian Open in New Delhi.

Seventh-seeded Mary Pierce and No. 8 Irina Spirlea will meet in today’s championship of the $450,000 Bausch and Lomb Championships at Amelia Island, Fla., after Pierce defeated Mary Joe Fernandez, 6-2, 6-4, and Spirlea upset Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, 6-1, 7-5, in the semifinals.

Olympics

The world’s stiffest anti-doping program and a new code of conduct for America’s Olympic athletes were adopted unanimously by the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The drug program mandates no-notice, out-of-competition testing for steroids and other performance boosters for all 41 Olympic and Pan American Games sports in the United States.

New York Yankee owner George Steinbrenner said he will not seek reelection as a USOC vice president and will leave the panel when his term expires this fall.

As expected, Olympic veteran Charles Barkley of Phoenix and Mitch Richmond of Sacramento were added to the U.S. Olympic basketball team.

Miscellany

A Miami football player and a woman were slain in a campus apartment attack discovered by a student who found his door blocked by a bloody body.

Marlin Barnes, 22, a reserve linebacker for the Hurricanes, and Timwanika Lumpkins, 22, were killed in a “double homicide,” police said. They were found in the apartment about 7:30 a.m. Saturday.

Barnes was a reserve linebacker last year as a sophomore and was named the most improved player during spring practice.

Former USC standout Lisa Leslie scored 23 points as the U.S. women’s national basketball team routed China, 85-52, in Philadelphia.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes defeated Mike Dodd and Mike Whitmarsh, 15-12, to win a record $100,000 first prize in the Jose Cuervo Gold Crown Pro Beach Volleyball tournament in Clearwater, Fla.

Pro Football

Former Dallas quarterback Steve Pelluer threw two touchdown passes to lead defending champion Frankfurt to a 27-21 victory over Rhein in the World League of American Football season opener.

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed unrestricted free agent defensive tackle John Jurkovic, who played the last four seasons with the Green Bay Packers.

Auto Racing

Andy Santerre knocked Steve Park off the pole with his final run, capturing the No. 1 starting spot for the NASCAR Busch North Series’ Tri-State Megabucks Twins at Loudon, N.H.

Blaine Johnson (top fuel), John Force (funny car) and Mike Edwards (pro stock) led qualifying after Saturday’s session in the Winston Select Invitational at Rockingham (N.C.) Dragway.

Boxing

Michael Carbajal, International Boxing Federation junior-flyweight champion, broke his right hand sparring and could be out as long as three months, his doctor said.

South African Baby Jake Matlala retained his World Boxing Organization light-flyweight title by stopping Scotland’s Paul Weir in the 10th round in Liverpool, England. In an undercard fight, Mexico’s Jose Luis Lopez floored Ireland’s Eamonn Loughran three times in the first 51 seconds to claim the WBO welterweight title.

Unbeaten Dana Rosenblatt knocked out 1976 Olympic champion Howard Davis Jr. in the second round at Boston to capture the vacant World Boxing Union middleweight championship.