Marquette’s Wade, Texas’ Ford Headed to NBA

Marquette’s Dwyane Wade and Texas’ T.J. Ford , the only underclassmen on this year’s All-America team, will make themselves available for the NBA draft.

They announced their decisions Thursday, as did Washington State junior guard Marcus Moore, a former Compton Dominguez High standout.

The three joined a list that includes Syracuse freshman Carmelo Anthony and juniors Mario Austin of Mississippi State, Chris Kaman of Central Michigan and Luke Ridnour of Oregon.

Ford, who had said during the season that he was “110%” sure he would return for his junior year, led Texas to the Final Four for the first time in 56 years.

“It’s been a real tough decision,” Ford said. “I feel like I’m making the right decision. I’m not shaky about it at all.”

Wade said he spent every day since the season ended trying to decide whether to give up his senior year but didn’t make up his mind until Wednesday.

“I think I’m going to take my game to the NBA and see what the future holds for Dwyane Wade,” he said at a news conference with his wife and son.

Wade led the Golden Eagles to a 27-6 record and the school’s first Final Four appearance since Al McGuire won the national title in 1977.

The 6-foot-6 Moore missed nine games last season because of an ankle injury but finished fifth in the Pacific 10 Conference in scoring with an 18.2 average.

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Oklahoma center Jabahri Brown was arrested after police allegedly found marijuana when they went to serve his roommate with outstanding traffic warrants.... Georgetown Coach Craig Esherick has received a four-year contract extension, keeping him with the Hoyas through the end of the 2009 season.... Southern Illinois promoted assistant Matt Painter to head coach.

Jerry Eaves, an assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers, was selected head coach at North Carolina A&T....; Patrick Ewing Jr., the 6-8, 215-pound son of former New York Knick star Patrick Ewing, has signed a basketball letter of intent with Indiana.

Pro Football

Former Chicago wide receiver Marcus Robinson has agreed to terms with the Baltimore Ravens. Robinson, released by the Bears two weeks ago, is starting his seventh year in the NFL and has 187 career receptions for 2,695 yards and 20 touchdowns in 28 starts.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars agreed to a deal that will keep defensive end Tony Brackens, who is recuperating from a knee injury, with the team for next season. The Jaguars restructured his contract, giving him an incentive-filled deal that will drop his salary cap figure by almost $4 million, to about $4.5 million.

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The Green Bay Packers re-signed 39-year-old center Frank Winters, a 17-year veteran, to a $755,000 one-year free agent contract.... The Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League released running back Lawrence Phillips, 27. The team did not explain why the former NFL first-round draft pick was released, saying in a statement that he “did not meet the minimum behavioral standards expected” of the organization.

Tennis

Venus Williams beat Czech qualifier Zuzana Ondraskova, 6-2, 6-3, to reach the quarterfinals of the J&S; Cup at Warsaw, Poland.

The 118th-ranked Ondraskova broke Williams’ serve once in each set and also held a break point in the match’s final game.

Third-seeded Daniela Hantuchova was upset by Fabiola Zuluaga of Colombia, 6-2, 6-4, and second-seeded Amelie Mauresmo got past Renata Voracova, 2-6, 6-2, 6-0.

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Top-seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland was eliminated from the Croatian Bol Ladies Open, losing to Gala Leon Garcia of Spain, 7-6 (4), 6-4, in the second round.

Schnyder, ranked No. 20, made 67 unforced errors. She also blew a 4-1 lead in the second set with two break points before losing the next five games.

Third-seeded Vera Zvonareva of Russia reached the quarterfinals of the $170,000 tournament, rallying midway through the second set to edge qualifier Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8).

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Seventh-seeded Tim Henman was knocked out of the BMW Open in the second round, losing, 6-4, 6-0, to Stefan Koubek at Munich, Germany.

Henman, a Wimbledon semifinalist four times, is making a slow comeback from a shoulder operation in November.

He didn’t put up much of a fight against Koubek, who had lost seven consecutive first-round matches before this week.

Top-seeded Roger Federer advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Raemon Sluiter.

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Top-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero advanced to the quarterfinals of the Valencia Open in Spain, beating Spanish countryman Albert Portas, 6-4, 6-4. Ferrero will next face Argentina’s Agustin Calleri, a 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 winner over Slovakia’s Dominik Hrbaty.

Ferrero recently won the Monte Carlo Masters and was semifinalist last weekend at the Seat Godo tournament in Barcelona.

Fifth-seeded Gaston Gaudio of Argentina beat Galo Blanco of Spain, 3-6 6-4, 6-4. Their match had been suspended Wednesday because of darkness. On Friday, Gaudio will play Brazil’s Flavio Saretta.

Miscellany

Casey Atwood is rejoining car owner Ray Evernham for a one-race Winston Cup deal next month at Pocono Raceway.

Atwood will drive the No. 91 Dodge Intrepid in the Pocono 500 on June 8, the team said. The No. 91 is a research and development car entered in select events last season. Atwood drove the car in the season finale last year but has been out of a ride since.

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Michael Waltrip won the pole for the Busch series race after water on the surface at Richmond International Raceway delayed qualifying for nearly four hours at Richmond, Va. Waltrip turned a fast lap of 125.523 mph in a Chevrolet to win the top spot for tonight’s Hardee’s 250.

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Jennifer Gillom, the second-leading scorer in the WNBA’s six-season history, was signed as a free agent by the Sparks.... The Indiana Fever traded Sylvia Crawley and first-round draft pick Gwen Jackson to San Antonio for three-time WNBA All-Star Natalie Williams, a former UCLA standout, and first-round pick Coretta Brown.

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North Carolina State football Coach Chuck Amato received a one-year contract extension after guiding the Wolfpack to 10 wins during the regular season and a victory over Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl.... The NCAA dropped the Seattle Bowl after a financially troubled two-year run, while also approving a new game in Fort Worth to be played Dec. 23.

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Thailand’s Veerapol Nakornloung retained his World Boxing Council bantamweight title with a unanimous decision over Mexico’s Hugo Dianzo at Bangkok, Thailand.

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Swiss sailor Bernard Stamm won the Around Alone race after seven months at sea. The 28,000-mile, five-leg race started in New York in September and the final stretch began April 13 from Brazil to Newport, R.I.