UCLA’s Afflalo Expected to Withdraw from Draft

UCLA guard Arron Afflalo will withdraw from the NBA draft and return to the Bruins unless he gets a solid assurance from a team by today that it will draft him in the first round, according to his father, Ben.

“Unless something changes between now and then,” Ben Afflalo said Friday, “he is definitely coming back. It would be a good decision. There is no sense in sticking your neck out.”

Afflalo and fellow sophomore Jordan Farmar have made themselves available for the draft, but because neither has hired an agent, they can retain their eligibility by withdrawing by Sunday, 10 days before the draft.

Afflalo is the shooting guard and defensive stopper for UCLA, which reached the NCAA championship game last season before losing to Florida.

Farmar, the team’s point guard, attended the NBA pre-draft camp, where he was judged by league observers to be one of the two most impressive players in that group, along with Memphis guard Darius Washington.

But Farmar has not made an announcement about his plans.

-- Steve Springer

UCLA center Lorenzo Mata underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to remove torn cartilage. He should be able to resume normal workout activity after a rehabilitation period of about a month.

UCLA released its 2006-07 men’s schedule, which includes a trip to the Maui Invitational and a game against Texas A&M; in the Wooden Classic on Dec. 9.

The Bruins will be joined by DePaul, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Memphis, Oklahoma, Purdue and host Chaminade at the Maui Invitational, Nov. 20-22, at Lahaina Civic Center. UCLA will also play a Feb. 10 game at West Virginia.

Brandon Heath, the Mountain West Conference player of the year, withdrew his name from the NBA draft and will return to San Diego State.

Prized Ohio State recruit Greg Oden had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist. The 7-foot center is expected to be out of basketball for several months.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

USC Expects Decision

on Jarrett Before Season

A USC athletic official said the school would apply to reinstate receiver Dwayne Jarrett’s eligibility and expected to hear a decision from the NCAA before the start of the season.

The Times reported Friday that the NCAA found Jarrett had violated an “extra benefits” rule last season when he shared an apartment with former quarterback Matt Leinart.According to Leinart’s father, Bob, his son and Jarrett each paid $650 a month. Bob Leinart said he paid the balance of the $3,866-a-month lease.

An NCAA spokesman said a student-athlete in Jarrett’s situation can be denied reinstatement, regain his eligibility with no conditions, or might be required to miss games or pay back the extra benefit or both.

USC receiver Whitney Lewis will transfer, Coach Pete Carroll said. Lewis, a fourth-year junior who starred at Ventura St. Bonaventure, was regarded by many as the jewel of the Trojans’ 2003 recruiting class, which also featured Reggie Bush and LenDale White. But he arrived at his first training camp out of shape, was academically ineligible in 2004 and did not catch a pass last season.

-- Gary Klein

TENNIS

Federer Runs Grass

Streak to 39 in a Row

Roger Federer saved four match points and overcame 57 unforced errors to beat Olivier Rochus, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (9), 7-6 (5), in the quarterfinals of the Gerry Weber Open in Halle, Germany, for his 39th consecutive victory on grass.

Federer can equal Bjorn Borg’s record of 41 consecutive victories on grass if he wins the tournament title on Sunday.

French Open champion Rafael Nadal lost for the first time in nearly three months in London when he retired in the quarterfinals of the Queen’s Club because of a sore left shoulder.

Andy Roddick stayed on track for a fourth successive Queen’s title when he defeated Fernando Gonzalez, 6-4, 6-3.

Top-seeded Maria Sharapova defeated Mara Santangelo, 6-2, 6-2, to advance to the semifinals of the DFS Classic grass-court tournament at Birmingham, England.

Mark Philippoussis, the 2003 Wimbledon runner-up, was one of eight men who received wild-card invitations to play in the Grand Slam tournament. Wimbledon begins June 26.

MISCELLANY

Judge Dismisses Case

Against Formula One

A federal judge dismissed a class-action lawsuit against Formula One, French tiremaker Michelin and Indianapolis Motor Speedway by fans upset about the boycott of the U.S. Grand Prix by seven race teams last year. A lawyer for the plaintiffs said the decision would be appealed to the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago.

Bill Lester, the first black driver to race in NASCAR’s top stock car series in 20 years, qualified his Dodge 34th in the 43-car field at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich. Kasey Kahne, also in a Dodge, took the pole with a speed of 185.644 mph.

A.J. Allmendinger won the provisional pole for the Champ Car Grand Prix of Portland (Ore.) with a lap of 58.378 seconds (121.114 mph) on the permanent road course at Portland International Raceway.

The Anaheim franchise that opens play in November in the NBA Development League will be called the Arsenal.

New York Rangers defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh pleaded guilty to driving while impaired.