49ers Could Get Phillips After New Deal With Owens

The San Francisco 49ers signed wide receiver Terrell Owens to a long-term contract Monday and moved closer to signing controversial running back Lawrence Phillips and re-signing defensive end Charles Haley.

Owens, who had a team-high 14 touchdown catches last season and took over from Jerry Rice as the 49ers’ go-to receiver, signed a seven-year, $34.2-million contract extension that includes a $7.5-million signing bonus.

Owens’ signing frees up salary-cap room for 1999, which could enable San Francisco to sign Phillips, who has a history of off-field problems, and bring back Haley, who “unretired” late last season and played in two playoff games for the 49ers.

Basketball

Gary Payton made 11 layups and scored 25 points to lead the United States over the Dominican Republic, 107-71, in the Olympic qualifying tournament at San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Meanwhile, Cuban basketball players Lazaro Borrel, Hector Pino, Roberto Herrera and Angel Caballero, along with masseur, Armando Rodriguez, who defected over the weekend at the tournament, said that they had planned their escape for weeks.

U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service spokesman Ivan Ortiz said the men had not formally applied for political asylum, but noted that Cubans who defect after legally reaching U.S. soil are not returned to Cuba, unlike refugees found at sea.

Charles Barkley told a Houston television station that he has been contacted by the Lakers, Seattle SuperSonics and Utah Jazz, in an attempt to persuade the free agent to abandon plans for retirement. If Barkley were to sign with the Lakers, he would have to play under the league’s $1-million exemption rule.

The rosters have been set for Magic Johnson’s annual Midsummer Night’s Magic, which will be held Aug. 1 at the Great Western Forum. Johnson’s team will include Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd, Nick Anderson, Jason Williams, Tracy Murray, Bo Outlaw, Maurice Taylor, Paul Pierce and Vince Carter. The opposing team will be made up of Elton Brand, Baron Davis, Gary Payton, Isaiah Rider, Steve Francis, Ray Allen, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Antoine Walker, Jalen Rose and Tracy McGrady. . . . New Jersey Net center Jayson Williams, still recuperating from a broken right leg, underwent surgery to repair a ligament in his left thumb.

Phoenix Coach Cheryl Miller of the WNBA was fined $5,000 for her comments after the Mercury’s loss to the Sparks on Saturday, but her team defeated two-time defending champion Houston Comets, 60-48, behind 18 points from Jennifer Gillom at Phoenix. . . Sheri Sam scored 20 points to help the Orlando Miracle end a three-game losing streak with a 77-52 victory over the Mystics at Washington. . . . Brandy Reed scored 22 points to lead the Minnesota Lynx over the Sacramento Monarchs, 76-69, at Minneapolis. . . . Andrea Stinson scored 16 points for the Sting in a 73-66 win over the Utah Starzz at Charlotte, N.C.

Ralph Tasker, one of the winningest coaches in high school history, died Monday at his home in Hobbs, N.M., after a short battle with cancer at age 80. Tasker, who had a 1,122-291 record when he was retired from coaching by the Hobbs school board last year, coached many standout players including: former Kansas star and NBA player Bill Bridges; current Arizona State Coach Rob Evans and Evans’ assistant, Tony Benford; Larry Robinson, who was Southwest Conference player of the year at Texas; and Texas Tech standout Jeff Taylor. Tasker spent last season as a volunteer coach with the Hobbs’ girls team.

Jurisprudence

A jury was chosen to hear the case of San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback Jim Druckenmiller, accused of raping a Virginia Tech student in Christiansburg, Va. If convicted, Druckenmiller, 26, faces five years to life. . . . Wheelchair racers filed suit against the New York Road Runners Club, claiming the club has discriminated against them in the New York City Marathon. . . . Former Kentucky football player Jason Watts was released from a Kentucky jail after a judge placed him on five years’ probation with an order to attend an alcohol-abuse program and community service. Watts, 22, had been in jail since March 31, when he pleaded guilty to two counts of reckless homicide.

Hockey

The New York Rangers signed veteran defenseman Sylvain Lefebvre to a four-year deal worth $10 million. . . . The Philadelphia Flyers signed right wing Keith Jones, 30, to a three-year contract with financial terms not disclosed. . . . King Coach Andy Murray has completed his full-time staff by hiring Ray Bennett as an assistant in charge of video analysis, computer assistance and technical support. Bennett, 37, joins assistants Mark Hardy and Dave Tippett on the staff.

Tennis

Jennifer Capriati won her third A&P; Classic tennis title Sunday, defeating Chanda Rubin, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2, at Mahwah, N.J.