No current plans to add
to injured US hoops team
The U.S. plans to stick with its short-handed men’s Olympic basketball team — at least for now.
USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said Monday he has no plans to make any additions to the roster, despite another wave of injuries.
Even so, there’s no guarantee it would be granted. The Americans already were granted one extension by the U.S. Olympic Committee to add Anthony Davis and James Harden to their group of finalists after the deadline has passed for players to be entered in the drug testing pool.
Miami’s Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have since pulled out with injuries, and Davis sprained his ankle Saturday working out with the New Orleans Hornets. Colangelo said the U.S. would still like the No. 1 pick to come to training camp in Las Vegas so it could stay on top of his situation.
LHP Willis announces
retirement through Orioles
SEATTLE — Left-hander Dontrelle Willis has decided to retire following a rocky stretch with Baltimore’s top farm club.
Willis was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2003 with the Marlins and quickly became one of baseball’s most popular players. But the big left-hander has struggled since he won 22 games seven years ago.
Willis agreed to a minor league deal with the Orioles this spring. He made just four appearances for Triple-A Norfolk, going 0-3 with an 8.53 ERA.
Baltimore also announced a roster move before Monday’s series opener in Seattle. The Orioles recalled right-hander Steve Johnson from Triple-A Norfolk.
Brooks agrees to contract extension with Thunder
OKLAHOMA CITY — Scott Brooks has signed a multiyear extension to return as coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
General manager Sam Presti announced Monday that Brooks agreed to a new contract, less than two weeks after the Thunder lost in five games to the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.
The team did not disclose terms of the contract. Other media outlets have reported the deal is for four years at more than $4 million per year.
Brooks’ previous deal was allowed to expire Saturday before the sides could come to an agreement on the terms. Brooks took over the Thunder early in the 2008-09 season and has led the team to the playoffs each of the past three seasons.
‘Girls League’ baseball
star Doris Sams dead at 85
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Doris Sams, a pitcher and outfielder from Knoxville who helped inspire the movie “A League of Their Own,” died at age 85 after a battle with Alzheimer’s.
The Stevens Mortuary Chapel in Knoxville said Sams died Thursday and her funeral service was Sunday. According to The Knoxville News Sentinel, she had been battling Alzheimer’s for three years.
Sams, also called Sammye, was a leading player in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. According to the league’s website, she was a five-time all-star during her eight-year pro career. She played for the Muskegon Lassies, later the Kalamazoo Lassies. She made the circuit’s honor team in 1947 and from 1949 through 1952. She averaged better than .300 during each of her last four seasons.
Stanford RB Gaffney
to play pro baseball
STANFORD, Calif. — Stanford running back Tyler Gaffney will give up his final year of eligibility in football to pursue a professional baseball career.
Gaffney ran for 449 yards and scored seven touchdowns as a junior last season for the Cardinal.
He played outfield for three seasons at Stanford and batted .301 with eight homers. He was a 24th-round selection by the Pittsburgh Pirates in June’s draft and batted .245 with two home runs, 17 RBIs and 48 runs scored in 54 games this past season.
By wire sources
