NBA labor talks dependent on players’ accepting 50-50 split

The NBA players’ association wanted a meeting and said the league would grant one — under one condition. Just agree first to a 50-50 split of revenues.

Players already rejected that offer once. The league confirmed it wasn’t moving beyond that number but wanted to meet about other issues, and it said the union wasn’t interested.

All that matters: An on-time start to the NBA season now seems even less likely.

Commissioner David Stern has said the league will cancel the first two weeks of the regular season if the sides can’t reach a labor agreement by Monday, and it now appears the sides won’t even talk before then.

According to a person close to the union, players were seeking a session before the deadline, but were told it came with a precondition of agreeing to the 50-50 revenue split.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity Friday because talks are being kept private, told the Associated Press the union will go on with plans to meet with players Saturday in Miami, where a number of All-Stars are playing in a charity game, and Monday in Los Angeles.

The league discussed a 50-50 split with union officials Tuesday, but talks broke down soon after it was rejected. Players were guaranteed 57% of basketball-related income under the previous collective bargaining agreement and have proposed lowering it to 53 percent in a new deal.

No further talks have been scheduled, and union Executive Director Billy Hunter has said it could be a month or two before the sides meet again. And while there had been no formal discussions since Tuesday, there was an expectation they would try to talk sometime before the end of the weekend.

Golf: Michael Allen leads Insperity Championship

Michael Allen shot a nine-under 63 to take a three-stroke lead over John Cook after the first round of the Champions Tour’s Insperity Championship at the Woodlands, Texas.

Schwab Cup points leader Tom Lehman and Mark Calcavecchia opened with 67s, and defending champion Fred Couples was another stroke back along with Tommy Armour III and Eduardo Romero.

U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy shot a two-under 69 for a share of the second-round lead with Rickie Fowler, Y.E. Tang and two others in the OneAsia Tour’s Korea Open at Cheonan.

Fowler and Yang shot 70s to match McIlroy, Mo Joong-kyung (66) and Bronson La’Cassie (67) at seven-under 137.

England’s Lee Slattery shot a six-under 66 to take the second-round lead in the Madrid Masters.

Slattery had an 11-under 133 total at El Encin Golf Hotel. Spain’s Eduardo de la Riva and Italy’s Francesco Molinari were a stroke back after 67s.

Top-ranked Yani Tseng shot a seven-under 65 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead over Chella Choi after the first round of the LPGA Hana Bank Championship at Incheon, South Korea.

Two-time defending champion Na Yeon Choi and Sandra Gal were two strokes back at 67.

College sports: Big Ten has no further expansion plans

The Big Ten, which perhaps kicked off the latest realignment in college athletics, is standing pat. Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany reaffirmed his league’s position Friday.

“We have what we want,” Delany said after his appearance at a Nebraska booster luncheon.

Missouri, which wanted the spot Nebraska got when the Big Ten announced its expansion to 12 teams in 2010, announced this week that it is exploring whether to stay in the Big 12 or move to another league, possibly the Southeastern Conference.

Point guard Artis backs out of UCLA commitment

Dominic Artis, a highly touted point guard from Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep who had committed to UCLA in July, has reopened his recruitment, said his mother, Tamera Davis.

“He still loves UCLA and I would say really they’re still his favorites,” Davis said, “he just wanted to make sure he was making the right decision and take a step back for a minute.”

Davis said her son’s change of heart was not related to the recent commitment to UCLA of Kyle Anderson, a 6-foot-8 standout from Jersey City (N.J.) St. Anthony who can also play point guard.

--Ben Bolch

Motor racing: Bowyer to join Waltrip team

Michael Waltrip Racing said it signed NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Clint Bowyer to a three-year contract starting in 2012. Terms were not disclosed.

Bowyer, 32, will be leaving the team of Richard Childress Racing, where he has driven since his first full season in the Cup series in 2006.

“I’ve been with one organization for my entire Sprint Cup career and leaving there was the hardest part of the decision,” Bowyer, who will drive the No. 15 Toyota, said in a statement. “But now I’m ready to start the next chapter in my racing career.”

Bowyer has four career Cup wins but none this season and he missed the 12-driver Chase for the Cup championship playoff now underway. Bowyer is 13th in points with 11 top-10 finishes so far this season. Michael Waltrip Racing’s other Cup drivers are David Reutimann and Martin Truex Jr.

--Jim Peltz

Baseball: MacPhail said to be leaving Orioles

A person familiar with the decision told the Associated Press that Andy MacPhail, the Orioles’ president of baseball operations, is leaving the team.

Tennis: Nadal to play Fish at Japan Open

Top-seeded Rafael Nadal will play American Mardy Fish in the semifinal of the Japan Open at Tokyo.

Nadal defeated Santiago Giraldo of Colombia, 7-6 (6), 6-3 Friday, and Fish beat Bernard Tomic of Australia, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1.

The other semifinal will feature David Ferrer against Andy Murray.

Top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki was knocked out of the China Open quarterfinals by Flavia Pennetta of Italy, 3-6, 6-0, 7-6 (2).

Pennetta will face 11th-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, who advanced after Ana Ivanovic retired with back pain while trailing, 6-3, 3-2, at the Beijing tournament

UFC: Edgar fights Maynard on Saturday

Frankie Edgar will defend his Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight belt Saturday against unbeaten Gray Maynard.

Maynard (11-0-1) fought Edgar to a draw Jan. 1, after previously defeating Edgarin an earlier meeting in April 2008.

The pay-per-view card in Houston also features 145-pound champion Jose Aldo defending his title against veteran Kenny Florian, and a middleweight bout between Chael Sonnen and Brian Stann.

--Lance Pugmire

Etc.: Steve Lavin has prostate surgery

St. John’s basketball coach Steve Lavin underwent surgery Thursday to treat prostate cancer and the procedure was said to be successful.

Anniversary Girl rallied from next-to-last to beat Last Sting by a length Friday in the $50,038 Desert Island Purse for fillies and mares at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Joel Rosario, Anniversary Girl ran a mile on the turf in 1:35.84 and paid $5.40, $3.40 and $2.80 as the 17-10 favorite.

Last Sting returned $8.80 and $5.80, and Born Lucky paid $7.60 to show.