New Mexico State Hit With 4-Year Probation

The NCAA, citing what the chairman of its Committee on Infractions termed “a rather serious case,” put the New Mexico State men’s basketball program on four years of probation and imposed other sanctions for violations dating to 1996.

The school placed sanctions on the program last year. They included two years of probation; a ban on postseason tournament play after the 2000-01 season; the loss of four scholarships during each of the next three seasons; a reduction in official contacts during the next two seasons and no recruitment of junior college players for the 2002-03 season.

The NCAA accepted the school’s sanctions, but increased the probation period to four years. The NCAA did not ban the Aggies from future postseason play.

UC Irvine junior guard Jerry Green, the Big West Conference player of the year this past season, officially made himself available for the June 27 NBA draft.

Green decided to keep his name on the list of underclassmen available for the draft after what he considered a favorable showing in a pre-draft camp in Chicago. He expects to be selected in the second round.

Wednesday was the deadline for college underclassmen to decide whether to declare for the draft.

Kentucky’s Keith Bogans said he will return for another season with the Wildcats, joining teammate Tayshaun Prince in withdrawing from the NBA draft.

Jason Collins became the first Stanford player to leave early when he opted to keep his name in the draft pool, as did Clemson’s Will Solomon, DePaul’s Bobby Simmons and Houston’s Alton Ford.

Damien Wilkins pulled his name from the list, but he won’t return to North Carolina State. Coach Herb Sendek said that Wilkins, son of former NBA standout Dominque Wilkins, will not be allowed to rejoin the team. If Wilkins, who will be a junior, wants to keep playing college ball, he will have to transfer.

The status of Fresno State’s Melvin Ely remained unclear. Although Ely reportedly submitted a letter asking that his name be withdrawn from the draft pool, he still may be included because he is one class short of graduating. Ely, who was ineligible as a freshman, can earn another season of college eligibility if he graduates before the fall semester. Until then, the NBA considers Ely eligible to be drafted.

The Clippers, who have the No. 2 selection in the draft, are expected to conduct a private workout today with Chicago prep standout Eddy Curry. On Friday, the team plans to work out high school big men Kwame Brown and DeSagana Diop.

Minnesota Coach Flip Saunders agreed to an extension with the Timberwolves that adds two years to his existing contract and reportedly raises the total value to $20 million.

Wang Zhizhi’s brief stint with the Dallas Mavericks might have been his only chance to play in the NBA. The 7-foot-1 Wang, the first Chinese-born player in the NBA, said at a news conference in Beijing that the leaders of the Bayi Rockets, his former team; the People’s Liberation Army; and the Chinese Basketball Assn. will decide whether he can return to Dallas.

Don MacLean, 31, of the Miami Heat exercised an option to extend his contract for the 2001-02 season.

Jurisprudence

In a telephone conversation with the alleged victim’s mother, Utah Jazz rookie DeShawn Stevenson admitted having sex with a 14-year-old girl, according to court records. Stevenson, 20, surrendered to police Tuesday night in Fresno and was charged with statutory rape. He was released on $5,000 bail.

Kari-Pekka Kyro, former coach of the Finnish cross-country skiing team, was released in Helsinki, two days after his arrest on suspicion of smuggling banned substances.

HBO boxing host Jim Lampley filed suit in Superior Court in Los Angeles against the company that manufactured an artificial hip implant the sportscaster says has kept him in constant pain for a year.

Tennis

Andy Roddick, billed as the new hope of U.S. tennis, made a strong grass-court showing, defeating Byron Black of Zimbabwe, 6-4, 7-6 (3), to reach the quarterfinals of the Samsung Open, a Wimbledon tuneup at Nottingham, England. . . . Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand upset second-seeded Nathalie Tauziat of France, 6-7 (1), 7-6 (6), 6-3, in a Wimbledon tuneup at Eastbourne, England. . . . French Open finalist Kim Clijsters of Belgium, seeded No. 1, defeated Joannette Kruger of South Africa, 6-3, 6-0, to reach the quarterfinals of the Heineken Trophy tournament at Den Bosch, Netherlands.

Miscellany

Forward Jeremy Roenick of the Phoenix Coyotes said he has no plans to re-sign with the Coyotes and will become an unrestricted free agent July 1. . . . Craig Patrick signed a five-year contract worth about $1 million a season to remain general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Defensive end Willie McGinest of the New England Patriots underwent what the team called a “medical procedure” for a back problem last week. Patriot spokesman Tracey James didn’t specify the nature of the procedure and said McGinest will sit out part of training camp, which opens July 26.

Formula One racing champion Michael Schumacher may earn millions as one of the world’s best-paid athletes, but Swiss tax authorities regard him as a foreigner without income. Officials said that Schumacher, a German who has lived in Switzerland for several years, takes advantage of a tax break accorded some prominent foreigners.

Lance Armstrong kept the yellow jersey in the Tour de Suisse cycling race despite finishing 61st in the first stage. . . . Former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich dismissed accusations that he accepted a bribe to let French cycling star Richard Virenque win a stage in the 1997 race. . . . Amber Neben, 26, of Irvine finished first Tuesday in the eighth stage of the 18th HP Women’s Challenge cycling competition in Idaho. Lyne Bessette of Canada finished fifth but still held the overall lead. . . . Candie Kung of USC shot a two-under-par 70 to win medalist honors at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship at Long Grove, Ill. . . . Nebraska running back Thunder Collins pleaded innocent to assaulting girlfriend and Cornhusker basketball player Shannon Howell.