Associated Press
CHARLOTTE ó James McAdoo can’t wait to move on from high school,
North Carolina fans may be just as eager for his jump to the next level after his performance in Saturday night’s Jordan Brand Classic.
McAdoo had 26 points and 14 rebounds and hit the clinching free throws with 1.6 seconds left to the lead the East squad to a 113-109 victory over the West on Saturday night in his final basketball act before joining North Carolina’s deep front line in the fall.
“High school kind of got boring. After a while it’s just the same thing over and over,” the 6-foot-8 Norfolk, Va., native said. “So just getting on campus there and kind of being put back at the bottom of the totem pole is just going to be get me to work harder and proving myself once again.”
Duke product Austin Rivers added 16 points six rebounds and four steals for the East, which held off a late West rally in the freewheeling high school All-Star game devoid of much defense.
Anthony Davis led Kentucky’s impressive foursome of prospects with 29 points and 11 rebounds to pace the West. Tony Wroten Jr., who is headed to Washington, added 16 points and 10 assists.
After the West cut a once 14-deficit to two, McAdoo calmly sank both free throws and was voted co-MVP with Davis.
McAdoo and fellow future Tar Heel P.J. Hairston played stretches with Rivers, set to become a fierce rival in the fall. McAdoo would seem to demand playing time even with North Carolina definitely returning big men John Henson and Tyler Zeller.
Another North Carolina forward, Harrison Barnes, attended the game and said he remains undecided on whether he’ll enter the NBA draft.
“I see myself fitting in very well,” McAdoo said.
SHAQ OUT
WALTHAM, Mass. ó Shaquille O’Neal will miss the Boston Celtics’ playoff opener against the New York Knicks today night with a right calf injury.
General manager Danny Ainge made the announcement during practice Saturday and said “we don’t know when he’ll be ready.” Game 2 of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series is in Boston on Tuesday night
O’Neal received therapy before the practice then ran briefly before stopping because of the pain.
NEW YORK ó NBA Commissioner David Stern said the league plans to submit to the players’ union a revised proposal for a new collective bargaining agreement within the next couple of weeks.
GOLF
SAN ANTONIO ó PGA Tour rookie Brendan Steele birdied Nos. 17 and 18 for a 4-under 68 on Saturday, grabbing sole possession of the Texas Open lead after beginning the day tied with a whopping six other players for the top spot.
The 28-year-old Californian put his third shot within 15 feet on the par-5 18th, then sunk the putt for his sixth birdie ó offsetting a pair of bogeys.
LUTZ, Fla. ó First they battled the wind, now they’ll battle each other.
John Cook shot a 6-under 65 take take a one-stroke lead at the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am on Saturday. Cook sits at 11-under, one ahead of Russ Cochran. The first-day leader shot a 3-under 68.
TENNIS
MONACO ó Six-time defending champion Rafael Nadal reached the Monte Carlo Masters final with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 victory Saturday over Andy Murray, who needed a cortisone shot in his right arm before the match.
Nadal will play fourth-seeded David Ferrer in Sunday’s all-Spanish final. Ferrer defeated seventh-seeded Jurgen Melzer of Austria 6-3, 6-2 to advance to his second Masters title match. He lost his first in Rome to Nadal last year.
BASEBALL
BOSTON ó Adrian Gonzalez signed a $154 million, seven-year contract with the Red Sox then turned his attention to an elusive reward ó winning.
Gonzalez is making $6.3 million in the final year of the contract he had when the Red Sox obtained him from the San Diego Padres for three prospects on Dec. 6.
HACKENSACK, N.J. ó Former major league baseball star Dwight Gooden has been sentenced to five yearsí probation after pleading guilty in New Jersey to child endangerment.
WASHINGTON ó The law firm that investigated drugs in baseball said that former All-Star pitcher Roger Clemens shouldnít be allowed to see notes or evidence used to produce a report that accused him of using steroids and human growth hormone.
LOS ANGELES ó Former New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Lenny Dykstra was arrested for investigation of grand theft, a day after he was charged with a federal bankruptcy crime, authorities said.
Dykstra, 48, was arrested Thursday night by Los Angeles police at his Encino home on suspicion of trying to buy a stolen car, police reports said.
CYCLING
ROME ó Lance Armstrong and a banned Italian physician have met repeatedly in Europe since severing formal ties in 2004, including as recently as last year before Armstrongís final Tour de France, a high-ranking Italian law enforcement official told The Associated Press.