Fast Break

Figure skating

Cohen still unsure about Spokane

With the 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Spokane six weeks away, the sport’s star, Sasha Cohen, still isn’t disclosing whether she plans to compete.

“This year has been a year of opportunities, a year of exploration and I’ve enjoyed that,” Cohen said Saturday afternoon in Agganis Arena in Boston as she prepared for today’s Marshalls U.S. Figure Skating Challenge (ABC TV 10 a.m., live). “I think it’s been good to give myself, as a person, a chance to do other things and I know you all want to know my goal and plans. I haven’t made any decisions yet for the rest of the season.”

Cohen, the defending national champion and Olympic silver medalist, has been taking acting classes and performing small parts in shows such as “CSI: New York,” which will air next week.

Throughout the year, she has stated she wants to compete in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. She also said she’d like to compete in the 2009 World Championships in her native city of Los Angeles.

But as far as Spokane, which will host the event, Jan. 21-28, Cohen still isn’t making any announcement. She did, however, set a timetable for “definitely, fairly soon.

“I’ve been training and keeping my options open … staying in shape and doing my workouts and running so I’m feeling really good.”

College basketball

Knight tops Rupp, but does he care?

Bob Knight celebrated his 877th victory by going hunting.

Knight moved two wins behind all-time leader Dean Smith on the Division I career coaching list Saturday when Texas Tech beat Centenary 98-64.

It was Red Raiders assistant coach Pat Knight who handled questions from the media after his father broke the tie for second place with Kentucky’s Adolph Rupp, leaving him behind only the former North Carolina coach.

“It’s like waiting for Brad Pitt and Martin Short walks in,” the younger Knight said of his stand-in appearance when his father decided to pursue one of his favorite outdoor activities. “Honestly, we have never discussed (passing Rupp). We didn’t discuss it when he tied it, and I didn’t discuss it tonight when he passed him.”

Knight could tie Smith at home on Dec. 23 against Bucknell.