Sports in brief: Allison, Waltrip on Hall list

Auto racing: Former drivers Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip (pictured) are two of the 25 nominees for the first NASCAR Hall of Fame induction class.

NASCAR released the two names Tuesday ahead of the announcement of all nominees Thursday night. The first class will consist of five members. They’ll be inducted in conjunction with the opening of the Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., next May.

Allison and Waltrip were longtime rivals and are tied for third with 84 victories in NASCAR’s top series. Waltrip won three Cup championships and Allison one.

Associated Press

Sampson’s final appeal fails

College basketball: The NCAA is finished with the latest Kelvin Sampson saga.

The NCAA on Tuesday rejected an appeal from the former Indiana basketball coach, who was slapped with five years of potential penalties for taking part in more than 100 impermissible calls to recruits while coaching the Hoosiers.

The NCAA said its infractions committee upheld the violations found in the case, which prompted an overhaul at the storied program and led to Sampson’s departure after just 11/2 years. An NCAA spokeswoman said Sampson has used his only appeal, and the case is closed.

Sampson, a former head coach at Washington State and now an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks, is essentially barred from the NCAA until 2013.

Associated Press

GU players make Team Canada

College basketball: Gonzaga University incoming freshmen men’s basketball players Mangisto Arop and Kelly Olynyk are among the players Canada Basketball unveiled for the official roster for the 2009 edition of the Junior Men’s National Team that will compete in the FIBA U19 World Championship starting Thursday in Auckland, New Zealand.

The U19 World Championship showcases the best players aged 19 years and younger from 16 countries and five continents. Washington State sophomores Klay Thompson and DeAngelo Casto made the U.S. team. WSU newcomer Brock Motum is playing for the Australian team.

Chiefs pick Uher in draft

Hockey: The Spokane Chiefs selected Dominik Uher from the Czech Republic with the 47th overall selection in the 2009 CHL Import Draft on Tuesday.

Uher is a 6-foot, 178-pound forward who will turn 17 on December 31.

In 38 games this past year with HC Trinec in the Czech Republic, Uher scored 19 goals and added 27 assists.