Ucla Extends Pact To 5 Years For Lavin

Steve Lavin, who at age 32 suddenly became UCLA’s head basketball coach 11-1/2 months ago when Jim Harrick was fired, has signed a five-year contract, assuring he will lead the Bruins through the 2001-02 season.

“We are excited about the Steve Lavin era at UCLA,” athletic director Peter Dalis said Tuesday in announcing the signing. “Steve has demonstrated that he is the right coach to lead the most successful program in college basketball history into the 21st century.”

Lavin, named interim coach last Nov. 6 when Harrick was dismissed for falsifying expense accounts, guided the Bruins to their third straight Pac-10 Conference title and a 24-8 record including three NCAA tournament wins.

South Alabama officials have denied having offered the school’s vacant coaching job to former Michigan coach Steve Fisher or anybody else.

Frederick Jones and Dennis Nathan, two of Oregon’s top prep basketball prospects, say they will sign letters of intent to play at Oregon.

Sam Okey was suspended by University of Wisconsin basketball coach Dick Bennett after the coach was told the Badgers junior forward had been smoking marijuana, The Capital Times reported.

Bennett confronted Okey with the information he received last Thursday afternoon.