Manning Plea Is No Contest

Chicago Bears defensive back Ricky Manning Jr. pleaded no contest Tuesday to a felony assault charge stemming from an attack on a man in a restaurant.

Manning, a former UCLA player, was sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to attend a year of anger management counseling, the district attorney’s office said.

He was also ordered to complete 100 hours of community service with a municipality or public agency or nationally recognized philanthropic organization not associated with the Bears.

Manning, 25, is already on probation for a similar misdemeanor offense in 2002 near the UCLA campus, the district attorney’s office said.

“We are disappointed in Ricky’s involvement in the incident that occurred this past April,” Bears General Manager Jerry Angelo said in a statement.

Earlier this year, Manning, Maurice Drew and Tyler Ebell -- all former UCLA players -- were accused of attacking a man at a Westwood restaurant. The man was kicked and punched in the face until he lost consciousness, police said.

Manning and his companions left the restaurant in an SUV and were pulled over by police when the vehicle was spotted from a helicopter.

The assault charge against Drew was dismissed in June because of insufficient evidence. Ebell’s felony assault charge was reduced to a misdemeanor and he was freed on bail.

Former Texas running back Ramonce Taylor pleaded guilty to marijuana possession stemming from his May 14 arrest.

Taylor pleaded guilty to having four ounces to five pounds of marijuana in his vehicle. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Taylor had four one-pound baggies of marijuana. Sentencing is set for Nov. 2.

Former Detroit Tigers player Dmitri Young was sentenced to a year of probation for assaulting his former girlfriend.

Young pleaded no contest in June to a domestic violence charge but changed his plea to guilty so the case can be dismissed in a year.

A Duquesne student charged in connection with the shooting of five basketball players on campus has waived her preliminary hearing. Brittany Jones, 19, is charged with helping the two men accused in the shooting and four others get into an on-campus dance, even though she knew several among the group were armed.

TENNIS

Teenager Upsets Moya, 6-3, 6-2

Teenager Juan Martin del Potro upset Carlos Moya, 6-3, 6-2, in the opening round of the Mumbai Open in India.

Chanda Rubin won her first match in more than a year, beating Martina Muller, 6-3, 6-0, to advance to the second round of the Fortis Championships at Luxembourg.

Top-seeded Ivan Ljubicic beat Fernando Vicente, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, to reach the second round of the Thailand Open in Bangkok.

Third-seeded Gilles Simon defeated Andreas Seppi, 6-0, 6-7 (6), 6-2, and advanced to the second round of the clay-court Palermo International in Sicily.

Vera Dushevina upset second-seeded Maria Kirilenko, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5, in the first round of the Korea Open in Seoul.

PRO BASKETBALL

Nowitzki, Dallas Agree to Extension

The Dallas Mavericks signed forward Dirk Nowitzki to an extension that will keep him with the team at least through the 2010-11 season.

Nowitzki, 28, already was signed for the upcoming season and had a $16 million-plus option for 2007-08 under the maximum contract he signed in 2001. The new deal guarantees that season, plus adds three more. He’ll turn 33 the summer his new contract expires.

Terms of the deal were not released, but with basic raises the extension probably is worth about $60 million.

MISCELLANY

Barbaro Continues Steady Improvement

Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro continues to receive good reports from veterinarians as he recovers from laminitis in his left foot, a complication of the career-ending injuries the colt suffered in his right hind leg in the Preakness in May.

“The left hind hoof on Barbaro has grown about 18 millimeters in the heel area,” said Dean Richardson, chief of surgery at the University of Pennsylvania’s George D. Widener Hospital at New Bolton Center.

“It has to grow at least three times that, which could take more than six months. It’s a very gradual process. The bottom of his foot has to completely heal as well.”

-- Robyn Norwood

The ninth “Billie Jean King and Friends” will be held Saturday at Cal State Los Angeles, King’s alma mater. King and other tennis celebrities such as Rosie Casals and Pam Shriver will participate in the day’s events, which will include a clinic and a pro-am tournament. On Saturday night, a tribute dinner and auction will be held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Pasadena, where author Patricia Cornwell will receive the Joe Shapiro Award. The award is named after Shriver’s late husband. Information: (323) 343-3083.

-- Larry Stewart

The PGA Tour announced that Mission Hills Golf Club in China will play host to the World Cup in 2007-08.

India has asked the International Cricket Council to omit Australian umpire Darrell Hair from the Champions Trophy next month.

Jeremy Lyons returned an interception for a touchdown, leading Southern Mississippi (3-1) to a 19-14 win over Central Florida (1-3) in the Conference USA opener at Orlando, Fla.

Rafael Marquez Lugo scored three goals to give Morelia a 3-0 victory over Cruz Azul of Mexico City in a soccer exhibition at the Coliseum.