Graham trial goes to the jury

Track coach Trevor Graham orchestrated a doping scheme for his elite track athletes and lied to federal investigators about his role in it, the prosecution said in closing arguments of Graham’s trial in San Francisco on Tuesday.

“This is a very simple, straightforward case. It’s about telling the truth,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Finigan told the jury. “If federal agents come to speak to you and you speak to them, there’s only one rule: You tell them the truth. . . . Throughout the interview, he was not truthful with the agents.”

The defense officially rested its case outside the presence of the jury without calling a witness. Earlier Tuesday, the sides argued over the wording of the jury instructions and verdict form.

Graham is accused with three counts of lying to federal investigators in June 2004.

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USC assistant football coach David Watson was arrested this month on suspicion of driving under the influence of prescription drugs, a misdemeanor, and has a court hearing scheduled for Sept. 25, a police official said.

Watson, 31, was cited on May 17 at 3:10 p.m. after he was involved in a minor collision on Sepulveda Boulevard, said Lt. Robert Turnbull of the El Segundo Police Department. No alcohol was involved in the incident, Turnbull said.

-- Gary Klein

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Roger Clemens amended his defamation suit against Brian McNamee, adding a new claim of “intentional infliction of emotional distress.”

Clemens’ attorneys also filed a 39-page response to the motion to dismiss that McNamee’s lawyers made on March 4.

Clemens claims McNamee, his former personal trainer, was “malicious and grossly negligent” when McNamee told baseball investigator George Mitchell last year that Clemens had used steroids and human growth hormone.

HORSE RACING

Big Brown is back on the track

Big Brown was back on the track a day earlier than expected, and trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. said the unbeaten colt looks as good as ever -- maybe even better.

The Triple Crown hopeful took a 1 1/2 -mile jog around Belmont Park on a rainy morning. It was the first time since Friday that Big Brown was out exercising after the discovery of a quarter crack on the inside of his left front hoof.

Asked if he looked as good as he did before winning the Preakness on May 17, Dutrow said, “He might look better.”

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Mayo, Jefferson in good standing

Former USC basketball players O.J. Mayo and Davon Jefferson completed their freshman-year course work in good standing, according to associate athletic director Magdi El Shahawy, meaning the Trojans will likely be spared further scholarship losses.

USC lost two scholarships and was issued a formal warning last year after achieving a four-year academic progress rate score of 863, which was below the NCAA’s minimum acceptable threshold of 925.

-- Ben Bolch

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Georgetown guard Jeremiah Rivers will transfer to Indiana, his father, Boston Celtics Coach Doc Rivers, confirmed. The 6-foot-4 point guard, who will have two years of eligibility after sitting out next season, played in all 34 games for Georgetown last season and averaged 2.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and one assist last season.

MISCELLANY

Paul Hamm has surgery on hand

Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Paul Hamm had surgery to repair the broken bone in his right hand, and will begin physical therapy Thursday. Recovery is expected to take at least four weeks, and Hamm says he is optimistic he’ll be healthy for the Beijing Olympics.

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Trinity College (45-1) rallied for two runs in the ninth inning to win the NCAA Division III baseball title with a 5-4 win over Johns Hopkins at Grand Chute, Wis. Trinity had lost earlier in the day to Johns Hopkins in the double-elimination tournament.