Fast Break

College basketball

Holland pulls name at EWU

Eastern Washington University selected five finalists to replace Mike Burns as the Eagles head men’s basketball coach, but the list quickly became four when Brad Holland withdrew.

“Coach Holland and I had a long discussion today regarding the resource challenges Eastern faces, particularly in regard to the assistant coaches’ salaries,” EWU interim athletic director Michael Westfall said Friday. “Those salaries, as well as the head coach’s salary disparity, especially for a coach of his caliber, through that discussion we came to the mutual decision. As much as we would have loved to continue discussions, it was probably not the best course of action.”

Westfall declined to identify the other four finalists, who he hopes to have on campus early next weekend. However, The Spokesman-Review learned that one of the four remaining candidates is University of Washington assistant Jim Shaw.

College football

Carroll coach will stay put

Montana State University is down to three coaching candidates after Carroll College coach Mike Van Diest backed out, saying he wants to stay with the Saints.

MSU athletic director Peter Fields said he would still make a choice over the weekend, and hopes to announce a pick by Monday or Tuesday. Other candidates include University of North Dakota head coach Dale Lennon, Larry Kerr of Duke University and Rob Ash of Iowa’s Drake University.

MSU is seeking a replacement for Mike Kramer, who was fired May 18.

NBA

Stern predicts Sonics will stay

NBA commissioner David Stern said he thinks Seattle Sonics owner Clay Bennett will find a way to get a new arena built in the Seattle area to keep the Sonics in their home of the past 40 years.

If Bennett doesn’t find that way by Oct. 31, he has promised to begin the process of relocating the team, most likely to his hometown of Oklahoma City.

“I think it’s just going to work itself out and I hope it does,” Stern said Thursday at the NBA Finals in San Antonio.