Gardner Returns to Arizona

Jason Gardner became Arizona’s only returning starter Tuesday, when he withdrew his name from the NBA draft.

The 5-foot-10 junior was one of four underclassmen from the team that reached the 2001 NCAA championship game to declare for the draft in April. The others--Richard Jefferson, Michael Wright and Gilbert Arenas--all stood out at the NBA pre-draft camp last week in Chicago.

Pepperdine guard Brandon Armstrong, who led the West Coast Conference in scoring last season, has declared for the NBA draft and will sign with agent Aaron Goodwin later this week. . . . The Boston Celtics exercised their option to take the Denver Nuggets’ pick, giving them three first-round choices in the NBA draft June 27. Boston has the 10th, 11th and 21st picks. . . . The Shelby County Commission approved plans for a $250-million arena, removing one of the last hurdles in bringing the Vancouver Grizzlies to Memphis, Tenn. . . . Morgan State hired former New Jersey Net coach Butch Beard to turn around its struggling basketball program.

Tennis

A new seeding system might not be enough to prevent a boycott of Wimbledon by some of the top clay-court players. Marat Safin joined French Open runner-up Alex Corretja and Spanish newcomer Juan Carlos Ferrero in declaring that a move to double the seedings to 32 isn’t the answer to the Wimbledon dispute. . . . Patrick Rafter began warming up for Wimbledon by beating Daniel Vacek of the Czech Republic, 6-3, 6-4, in the first round of the grass-court Gerry Weber Open at Halle, Germany. . . . Andy Roddick’s grass-court preparation started poorly with a 7-6 (5), 6-3 loss to 18-year-old Mikhail Youzhny of Russia at the Queen’s Club tournament in London.

WNBA

Tari Phillips scored 27 points on 12-for-14 shooting to lead the New York Liberty to its second consecutive victory, 79-70 over the visiting Charlotte Sting. . . . Barbara Farris made two free throws with 31 seconds left in overtime and came up with a crucial steal in the final seconds as the Detroit Shock held off the Miami Sol, 68-67, at Miami for its first victory of the season. . . . Sophia Witherspoon scored 20 points and Sylvia Crawley added 19 as the Portland Fire defeated the Cleveland Rockers, 67-62, at Portland, Ore. . . . Olympia Scott-Richardson had 12 points and a career-high 10 rebounds at Minneapolis as the Indiana Fever ended a five-game losing streak with a 65-60 victory over the Minnesota Lynx. . . . Jennifer Gillom had 11 of her 24 points in the final eight minutes as the Phoenix Mercury ran to a 78-64 victory over the Sacramento Monarchs at Phoenix. . . . Semeka Randall scored a team-record 28 points as the Seattle Storm defeated the visiting Orlando Miracle, 70-63.

Jurisprudence

Dale Earnhardt’s widow Teresa testified in a Daytona Beach, Fla., courtroom that she has tried to stop the public release of her husband’s autopsy photos to spare her family “painful emotional distress.”

Attorneys for Avenger quarterback Todd Marinovich met with officials from the court-ordered drug program Marinovich is required to attend to show proof that he was not missing his sessions. . . . Arizona Cardinal running back Michael Pittman and former teammate Mario Bates were arrested for separate arguments with women. Bates, a 28-year-old former running back, was arraigned in Scottsdale City Court on two charges for allegedly fighting with his girlfriend, Vanessa Bourgerie. Pittman spent Sunday night in jail after arguing with his estranged wife, police said.

Miscellany

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired forwards Travis Green and Robert Reichel from the Phoenix Coyotes for defenseman Danny Markov. Toronto also obtained minor leaguer Craig Mills.

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed former UCLA and Xtreme quarterback Tommy Maddox. . . . Jerry Angelo, the director of player personnel for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, signed a four-year contract to be the Chicago Bear general manager.

U.S. midfielder Cobi Jones’ suspension was reduced from three games to two by FIFA, making him eligible to play in next week’s World Cup qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago.