Winner take all for Syracuse, Kansas
NEW ORLEANS, April 7 (UPI) -- It's Kansas against Syracuse Monday night at the Superdome in New Orleans, with the NCAA championship on the line.
Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim has the most NCAA Tournament wins without a national title. Kansas Coach Roy Williams is second on that list, so one of them will gladly come off that list.
Boeheim, the coach at Syracuse for the last 27 years, has a 37-21 record in NCAA Tournament games, but lost twice in the national championship game, in 1987 at the Superdome against Indiana, and in 1996.
Williams is in his 15th year as Kansas coach, and has a 34-13 record in the NCAA Tournament, but reached the title game just once in 1991.
"We just need one more," said Boeheim. "One of us will be able to smile Monday night. I told him before the season, 'Let's get to the final, then one of us will be able to smile.'"
Kansas (30-7) used its talent and firepower against overmatched Marquette Saturday, and Syracuse (29-5) relied on sensational freshman Carmelo Anthony to make this matchup possible.
With one of the most dominating performances in Final Four history, Kansas advanced by annihilating the Golden Eagles, 94-61.
The Jayhawks just missed posting the biggest blowout in Final Four history. Princeton recorded a 118-82 win over Wichita State in the third-place game in 1965.
Meanwhile, Anthony scored a career-high 33 points as the Orangemen slid past Texas, 95-84, in the other semifinal.
Kansas usually relies on the senior duo of Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich. Both had solid efforts Saturday.
Also, Keith Langford scored 17 of his 23 points in the first half, when Kansas shot a blistering 60 percent (24-of-40), and forged a 59-30 advantage.
Thanks to Anthony and fellow freshman Gerry McNamara, who scored 19 points, Boeheim is back in the title game for the third time. The Orangemen took control with a 19-5 tear that opened a 78-66 advantage with just under seven minutes to go. Anthony capped the run with a long jumper and a reverse dunk.
Now, Anthony has a chance to become the first freshman to be named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player since Pervis Ellison of Louisville in 1986.
Kansas rolled to an 87-58 rout of Syracuse in the second round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament.
Worthy, Parish voted into Hall of Fame
SPRINGFIELD, Mass., April 7 (UPI) -- Boston Celtics center Robert Parish and Los Angeles Lakers forward James Worthy headline the list of seven elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame on Monday.
The two were among the NBA's 50 Greatest Players.
Also, Lakers broadcasting icon Chick Hearn, legendary Italian superstar Dino Meneghin, famed Louisiana Tech women's coach Leon Barmore, black basketball pioneer Earl Lloyd, and Meadowlark Lemon of the Harlem Globetrotters were named to comprise the Class of 2003.
The selections were announced Monday afternoon at the Superdome, site of the NCAA Men's Final Four.
Former players Maurice Cheeks, Dennis Johnson, and Bobby Jones, and coach Bill Sharman were among the finalists who did not gain election from the 24-member Honors Committee for Enshrinement.
Parish, a nine-time NBA All-Star, teammed with Hall of Famers Larry Bird and Kevin McHale to form one of the finest frontcourts in league history. The trio won NBA titles in 1981, '84, and 1986.
Worthy led North Carolina to the 1982 NCAA title, and played his entire 12-year NBA career with the Lakers, winning NBA titles in 1985, '87, and 1988. He appeared in seven All-Star Games, and is one of only seven Lakers to have his number (42) retired.
Hearn, who died in August, broadcast 3,338 consecutive games for the Lakers, and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1986. He earned the Hall of Fame's Curt Gowdy Media Award in 1992.
Enshrinements ceremonies are scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 4-6 in Springfield, Mass.
NBA honors Kidd, O'Neal
NEW YORK, April 7 (UPI) -- Jason Kidd of the New Jersey Nets and Shaquille O'Neal of the Los Angeles Lakers were honored as NBA Players of the Week Monday for the second time this season.
Kidd, who won the award in the Eastern Conference, averaged 20.5 points, 9.3 assists, 7.0 rebounds and 2.75 assists to lead the Nets to a 3-1 record.
Also honored on Dec. 23, Kidd had a huge game last Monday against Houston, collecting 30 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals in a 119-86 win.
O'Neal won the Western Conference award after averaging 30.0 points, 15.0 rebounds and 3.75 blocks and leading the Lakers to a 4-0 mark.
In Wednesday's 100-89 win at Dallas, O'Neal had 31 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks. O'Neal also won the award on March 10.
Other nominees for the award were Paul Pierce of Boston, Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas, Ron Artest of Indiana, Kevin Garnett of Minnesota, Shawn Marion of Phoenix and Chris Webber of Sacramento.
Krause resigns as Bulls GM
CHICAGO, April 7 (UPI) -- Jerry Krause, who provided Michael Jordan with the supporting cast that helped the Chicago Bulls win six
NBA titles, resigned as executive vice president on Monday, citing health reasons.
Krause, 64, is stepping down after 18 seasons on the job, ending a tenure that was among the most successful in NBA history.
"The rigors and stress of the job have caused me some minor physical problems in the past few years," Krause said. "Those problems can be eliminated if I lessen my load for a while and concentrate on overcoming them. My first obligation is to accomplish that for my wife, children and grandchildren."
Rod Thorn was the Bulls' general manager who drafted Jordan, but it was Krause who put the players around him and added the coaching and administrative staff that helped win six NBA titles between 1991 and 1998.
Krause made a draft day trade for Scottie Pippen, drafted Horace Grant and B.J. Armstrong and traded for Bill Cartwright, Dennis Rodman and Luc Longley. Key signings made by Krause during the dynasty include Ron Harper and Bill Wennington.
A native of Chicago, Krause hired Phil Jackson as an assistant from the Continental Basketball Association and later named him coach.
Krause said he is leaving his job now to allow Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf to have a successor in place prior to the NBA draft.
Pistons await word on Ben Wallace
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 7 (UPI) -- A knee injury to All-Star forward Ben Wallace has the Detroit Pistons on pins and needles about their playoff chances.
The injury, which happened on Sunday, has made the goal of achieving best record in the Eastern Conference an afterthought. Now they can only hope that Wallace will be available for the postseason.
Sunday night, he went down with a sprained left MCL late in the first half of an 89-83 loss to San Antonio, and will be sidelined indefinitely.
"It's unfortunate to lose him," said Detroit Coach Rick Carlisle. "It looks like we're going to lose him for some games. I'm not sure how many."
Carlisle is supposed to get a better idea late Monday, when Wallace is scheduled to undergo an MRI.
The NBA's top rebounder and shot-blocker, and the anchor of Detroit's dogged defense, was injured when rookie teammate Tayshaun Prince, who was trying to draw a charge, fell into his left knee. Wallace remained on the floor for about two minutes before being helped to the bench.
Prince was visibly upset, holding a towel to his face to conceal tears.
"I got there a little late," Prince said. "If I had gotten there early, he wouldn't have had to be there. That is why I was very disappointed."
The loss of the 6-9, 240-pound Wallace would be devastating to the Pistons (47-29), who slipped behind New Jersey for the best record in the conference. They lead Indiana (46-31) by 1 1/2 games in the Central Division.
If Wallace is placed on the injured list, rookie Memhet Okur would start at forward Tuesday at Philadelphia. Forward Zeljko Rebraca, sidelined most of the season with an irregular heartbeat, might be activated.
Wallace, the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, is averaging 15.4 rebounds and 3.15 blocks along with 6.9 points per game this season. He averaged 13.0 rebounds and 3.48 blocks last season.
The Pistons were already without point guard Chauncey Billups, who missed Sunday's game with an ankle injury, and his backup, Chucky Atkins, has been sidelined for the last nine games with a bruised left knee.
Magnus Larrson calls it quits
MALMO, Sweden, April 7 (UPI) -- Magnus Larsson of Sweden has decided to hang up his racket after 14 years on the ATP circuit.
He announced his retirement late Sunday during Sweden's Davis Cup quarterfinal loss to Australia.
"It's been on my mind for a while, but it wasn't until recently that I felt that this is enough," he said.
Larsson, 33, won seven ATP singles titles in 15 finals, most recently at Memphis in 2000. He also captured six career doubles crowns, and reached two other finals, including the French Open doubles championship in 1995.
"Of course, I would have liked to win a Grand Slam event, but I am very happy with my tennis career," said Larsson, whose best results in a major are three quarterfinals at the U.S. Open. "This is the right time to stop."
One of Larsson's biggest triumphs came at the Grand Slam Cup in 1994, when he beat then-No. 1 Pete Sampras in four sets for the title. However, according to the Monte Carlo resident, his main career highlight was winning the Davis Cup that year.
"My best memory is probably the Davis Cup final in Moscow," he said. "I wanted a Davis Cup win, and got the opportunity to be on the team together with Stefan Edberg. The feeling was that it was now or never."
His most immediate plans are to clear out his closet of tennis gear, but he has an eye on staying involved in the game in the long term.
"I simply do not need to have 20 match shirts anymore," he said. "I will most likely continue to help out with some of the most talented juniors at my club in Vaxjo."
Larsson won just one of three matches at the ATP level, and was ranked at No. 169.
Blues sign Hobey Baker finalist Sejna
ST. LOUIS, April 7 (UPI) -- The St. Louis Blues have signed left wing Peter Sejna, a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, who was the leading scorer in college hockey this season.
Terms were not disclosed.
Sejna, 23, a native of Slovakia, led the nation with 36 goals, and was second with 46 assists in 42 games with Colorado College. The WCHA Player of the Year recorded a point in all but one contest, and helped the Tigers to their sixth NCAA Tournament bid since 1994.
In his NHL debut Sunday, the winger scored a power-play goal against veteran goalie Patrick Roy of Colorado with 12.8 seconds remaining in the second period.
"He was impressive," said St. Louis Coach Joel Quenneville. "I think he's got a real great feel for the game. Showed great patience on that shot. Not too many guys are going to score that goal."
The Blues have scouted Sejna since 2000, but had to wait until he declared his intent to go pro before offering him a contract. The Blues signed him to a two-year, two-way contract worth $552,500.
Before enrolling at Colorado College, he spent two seasons with Des Moines of the United States Hockey League, where he amassed 81 goals and 76 assists in 110 games.
