Report: Oden to enter draft

Ohio State star Greg Oden will make himself available for the NBA draft, his father told the Indianapolis Star in a story on its website Friday night.

The 7-foot center is widely considered a possible No. 1 draft pick, and Greg Oden Sr. said he was comfortable with his son’s decision.

“He’s the kind of kid that, even though he’ll have a lot of money, he needs to do more than just basketball,” Oden Sr. said. “They had an exciting season, but why take the chance on him getting hurt?”

The elder Oden said Mike Conley Jr. and fellow Ohio State freshman Daequan Cook also were expected to put their names in the draft.

The players have until midnight on April 29 to declare whether they intend to make themselves available for the draft.

The NCAA reversed itself and threw out three violations and part of a fourth that occurred under former Ohio State coach Jim O’Brien because the association’s enforcement staff missed a deadline for filing charges.

The university said penalties imposed because of the violations -- including NCAA probation and erasing all references to its 1999 Final Four appearance -- will stand.

John Wooden was resting at home Friday after being released from the hospital. The 96-year-old former UCLA coach had been hospitalized since Sunday.

Carla Berry, the Louisiana State assistant women’s coach who first told university administrators about former head coach Pokey Chatman’s alleged improper conduct with former players, has resigned.

Romeo Miller, a 5-foot-11 junior point guard at Beverly Hills High, has orally committed to USC, said his father, music mogul Percy Miller. Romeo Miller starred in the Nickelodeon TV series “Romeo!”

-- Ben Bolch

GOLF

Els takes charge at Hilton Head

Ernie Els showed the form that won him three major titles in the Verizon Heritage at Hilton Head, S.C., shooting his second consecutive six-under-par 65 to take a three-stroke lead over Jerry Kelly. Els is at 12-under 130, a stroke off the tournament’s 36-hole scoring mark set by Jack Nicklaus in 1975 and matched by Phil Mickelson in 2002.

Lorena Ochoa birdied seven of the final 12 holes to shoot a six-under 66 in the second round of the Ginn Open at Reunion, Fla., and tied Laura Davies for the lead at 12-under 132. Davies also had a 66. Natalie Gulbis (66) was three strokes back.

TENNIS

Williams advances at Family Circle Cup

Venus Williams won a match of long baseline rallies at Charleston, S.C., defeating Anabel Medina Garrigues, 6-4, 7-5, to reach the Family Circle Cup semifinals. She will play second-seeded Jelena Jankovic, who beat Katrina Srebotnik, 6-2, 6-0.

Ivo Karlovic upset third-seeded Tommy Haas, 7-6 (7), 6-4, to advance to the semifinals of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships at Houston. He will play Albert Montanes, who defeated Vince Spadea, 6-4, 6-4.

MOTOR RACING

Gordon gets the pole after qualifying canceled

Jeff Gordon will start on the pole after NASCAR Nextel Cup qualifying was canceled because of tornado warnings in the Fort Worth area. The field for Sunday’s Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway was set by season points, with leader Gordon and Jeff Burton on the front row.

MISCELLANY

Australia reaches World Cup semifinals

Australia advanced to the World Cup cricket semifinals by defeating Ireland by nine wickets, 92-1, at Bridgetown, Barbados.

Brett Sterling of Pasadena was named rookie of year in the American Hockey League. Sterling, 22, a left wing for the Chicago Wolves, leads the league with 52 goals.