Associated PressNEW YORK ó Three Hall of Fame basketball coaches have been chosen to receive the inaugural Joe Lapchick Character Award.
Pat Summitt, Lou Carnesecca and Dean Smith will receive the award next month at Madison Square Garden.
Smith led North Carolina to 11 Final Fours and two national championships in his 36 seasons there, compiling an 879-254 record. When he retired, he had the most wins in Division I history, a mark since eclipsed by Bob Knight. Ninety-six percent of the lettermen who played under him graduated.
CLEMSONCLEMSON, S.C. ó Clemson’s 7-foot-2 freshman Catalin Baciu has been suspended by the NCAA for the season’s first five games because he played on a pro team in his native Romania five years ago.
The State of Columbia says that Clemson has appealed to the NCAA to reduce the suspension for the first-year player.
The 20-year-old Baciu was a teenager when he played for Mobitelco, a club team that competes in Romania’s top division. However, Baciu’s prep coach says the center was not a paid member of the pro team.
The NCAA prohibits college players from taking part on a pro team whether they are paid or not.
NBA
NEW YORK ó Kevin Garnett had 14 points and nine rebounds, Ray Allen scored 12 points and the Boston Celtics tuned up for the start of their NBA title defense by beating the New York Knicks, 101-90 on Tuesday night.
Eddie House led the Celtics with 20 points. Leon Powe added 19 points and 12 rebounds as Boston’s big men overwhelmed an undersized New York lineup.
Heat 102, Grizzlies 85
MIAMI ó Dwyane Wade is ready for a little rest.Wade scored 25 points, Michael Beasley scored nine of his 19 in the fourth quarter and the Miami Heat beat the Memphis Grizzlies 102-85 Tuesday night for their first preseason win in nearly two years.
Hornets 101, Pacers 96
NEW ORLEANS ó Chris Paul had 23 points, 15 assists, five rebounds and three steals in 36 minutes.
Cavaliers 91, 76ers 83
PHILADELPHIA ó LeBron James scored 20 points and had eight rebounds, four assists and four steals before sitting out the fourth quarter.
Bulls 109, Mavericks 105
DALLAS ó Rookie Derrick Rose scored 30 points, including the go-ahead basket with 41.5 seconds left.
TENNIS
LYON, France ó Top-seeded Andy Roddick had 18 aces and did not face a break point in beating Nicolas Mahut of France 7-6 (5), 6-4 in the first round of the Lyon Grand Prix on Tuesday.
– BASEL, Switzerland ó Roger Federer capitalized on his strong serve Tuesday to beat 86th-ranked Bobby Reynolds of the United States 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 in the first round of the Swiss Indoors.
CYCLING
PARIS ó Lance Armstrong still could race in the 2009 Tour de France, as long as race organizers make him feel welcome, Astana team director Johan Bruyneel said Tuesday.