Sophomore Chauncey Billups Leaves Colorado for NBA

Colorado point guard Chauncey Billups confirmed Friday that he will skip his final two years of college eligibility to make himself eligible for the NBA draft.

Billups, an Associated Press second-team All-American who led Colorado to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1969, is projected to be one of the top 10 players drafted this summer.

“I have decided to declare myself eligible for the upcoming NBA draft,” Billups said. “I love my teammates and Coach [Ricardo] Patton, but I simply could not pass up this opportunity. To those people who say this opportunity may be here next year or the year after, you may be right. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take that risk.”

The Boston Globe reported that Providence point guard God Shammgod would turn pro, but he issued a statement saying he’s staying in school.

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Six of the nine women eligible to play next year at Maryland are considering leaving the school, citing intimidation by Coach Chris Weller, who was reprimanded by the school.

Weller had been accused of “mental abuse,” including complaints she withheld meal money from one player and belittled her in front of teammates, according to the player’s father. Athletic Director Debbie Yow said Weller had agreed to change her coaching style.

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Cincinnati point guard Charles Williams said he has received anonymous phone messages containing racial slurs and might not return to school next season.

Williams said that he checked his dormitory voice mail while on spring break and found four messages that contained racial slurs.

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Arizona’s Mike Bibby and Eugene Edgerson apologized for comments they made during a victory rally at the university’s football stadium.

Edgerson, a freshman reserve forward, said, “I just want to tell all those critics who didn’t believe in us to go to hell.” Bibby thanked the fans for coming out, and said, “Anybody who didn’t think we were going to win, go to hell.”

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Billy Kennedy, who spent the past four years at California, was hired as coach at Centenary College.

Kennedy replaces Tommy Vardeman, who left last week. At Cal, Kennedy spent the last two years as associate head coach.

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One day after Kevin Bannon left to become the coach at Rutgers, Rider University promoted associate coach Don Harnum to head coach. The 33-year-old Harnum served as an assistant coach under Bannon at Rider and Trenton State.

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Ticket orders received at the Pond of Anaheim for the 1998 NCAA Division I men’s West Regional have exceeded the number of available tickets, according to Big West Conference and Pond officials. Those who have applied will be notified about the status of their orders within the next three weeks.

Football

Free-agent cornerback Cris Dishman is leaving the Houston Oilers to play for the Washington Redskins. Dishman, 31, has been with the Oilers for nine years. He told KRIV-TV in Houston that he has agreed to a four-year deal.

The Pittsburgh Steelers traded defensive lineman Brentson Buckner to Kansas City in exchange for the Chiefs’ seventh-round draft choice this year.

Wide receiver Nate Singleton and running back Corey Croom, both unrestricted free agents, signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The New England Patriots announced linebacker Todd Collins, an occasional starter last season, has re-signed with the team.

Jurisprudence

A former Texas football player was sentenced to six months’ confinement for his role in a bank fraud scheme. Craig Curry, 34, of Houston, who once played for the Longhorns and currently is a financial advisor to professional athletes, was ordered to spend three months in a halfway house and three months at home under electronic monitoring.

Jay Davern, a starting linebacker for Texas Christian, has been kicked off the team. The junior was arrested Thursday and faces charges of assault by threat and public intoxication.

Miscellany

Alex Zanardi is in contention for a record sixth consecutive PPG CART series pole position after the first round of qualifying at the Australian IndyCarnival at Surfers Paradise.

The Italian, cleared to compete hours earlier by CART medical officials after an eye infection, was more than a second faster than Christian Fittipaldi of Brazil.

Continuing rain caused NASCAR to declare the first-round qualifying for Sunday’s Interstate Batteries 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway a washout.

Ricky Craven, injured in a crash during practice, was upgraded to fair condition.

Benji Olson, Washington’s All-American offensive guard, had surgery on his lower back and will miss the rest of spring practice.

Former UCLA football coach Terry Donahue was named the winner of the Robert R. Neyland Memorial Trophy, given in honor of the longtime Tennessee coach and athletic director. The award will be given April 19 in Knoxville.