The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
61°F
Current Conditions
Few clouds
View complete weather report
Subscribe now

Fast Break

The Spokesman-Review

College basketball

Howland has new deal with UCLA

UCLA coach Ben Howland, who has guided the Bruins to the Final Four each of the past three years, agreed to a new seven-year contract with the university Tuesday.

The deal, which adds one year onto the agreement he signed last October, runs through the 2014-15 season and includes a guaranteed $1.97 million for next season, rising to $2.3 million in the final year of the contract. The incentive package from his previous agreement is retained in the new contract.

His previous contract guaranteed compensation of $1.5 million for the 2007-2008 season and a boost to $2 million in the final year. He earned $1.2 million for the 2006-2007 season.

Howland’s first college basketball coaching job was as a graduate assistant at Gonzaga University.

College basketball

IU: Sampson hire was a mistake

Indiana University’s president told the NCAA infractions committee that the hiring of ousted basketball coach Kelvin Sampson was “a risk that should not have been taken.”

Indiana president Michael McRobbie told the committee during a private session on June 14 that Sampson had betrayed the school’s trust in violating NCAA regulations on telephone calls to recruits. The text of McRobbie’s statement was released Monday by the university.

The NCAA has accused Sampson of providing false and misleading information to investigators about impermissible phone calls to recruits.

Sampson was under NCAA recruiting restrictions when IU hired him away from Oklahoma in 2006. Sampson coached at Washington State before going to Oklahoma.

NBA

Retired general to oversee refs

The NBA hired Army Maj. Gen. Ronald L. Johnson on as senior vice president of referee operations, a newly created position to help strengthen the league’s officiating programs following the Tim Donaghy scandal.

Johnson recently retired after 32 years of service as a combat engineer.

Awards

ESPY nominees announced

Tiger Woods, Tom Brady, Kobe Bryant and Alex Rodriguez are the contenders for best male athlete as ESPN announced its ESPY nominees. The sports awards show will air July 20 on ESPN.

Golfer Lorena Ochoa, basketball player Candace Parker, auto racer Danica Patrick and skier Lindsey Vonn are the female finalists. Fans determine the winners in 37 categories by voting online or with mobile phones.