BASKETBALL

Red Claws plan to make a ‘major announcement’

The Maine Red Claws have scheduled a news conference for 10 a.m. today at the team office on Congress Street in Portland to make “a major announcement.”

Danny Ainge, the Boston Celtics’ president of basketball operations, will attend.

The team has been without a coach since Dave Leitao left last week to be an assistant coach at Missouri. The Claws, however, have said today’s conference will not deal with personnel issues.

Ainge will be joined by Bill Ryan Jr., the chairman and president of the Red Claws, and Dan Reed, the president of the NBA Development League, at the press conference.

The Red Claws have been affiliated with the Celtics since the beginning of the franchise. Last year they were also affiliated with the Bobcats and 76ers.

NBA: The Hornets traded forward Trevor Ariza and center Emeka Okafor to the Wizards for forward Rashard Lewis and a second-round draft pick.

• The Bobcats introduced Mike Dunlap as their new head coach.

FOOTBALL

NFL: Percy Harvin didn’t participate in Minnesota’s mandatory minicamp practice, a few hours after requesting a trade from the Vikings.

HOCKEY

U.S. NATIONAL JUNIORS: Brian Hart, an 18-year-old Cumberland native, was chosen to participate in the USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp Aug. 4-11 at Lake Placid, N.Y.

Hart is one of the 25 forwards and 36 players overall competing for a spot on the U.S. National Junior Team that will participate in the world junior championships Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Ufa, Russia.

BASEBALL

TWILIGHT LEAGUE: Yankee Ford and Lenders Network played to a 4-4 tie when darkness forced a stoppage after six innings at Deering Oaks.

• David Nieves had a two-run double in the sixth inning to lead Aero Heating and Ventilation (2-1) to a 4-1 win over Patriot Insurance (1-2) at Portland.

NECBL: The visiting Newport Gulls (6-1) scored two runs in the sixth inning and went on for a 4-2 win over the Sanford Mainers (3-7) at Goodall Park.

COLLEGES

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Former University of Maine standout Samantha Baranowski struck a deal to play for the Marburg Blue Dolphins, a professional basketball team in the Damen-Basketball-Bundesliga League, Germany’s premier division.

FOOTBALL: People with firsthand knowledge of the decision told the AP the national semifinals would rotate between the major bowls and a selection committee will be involved in picking the teams involved in the four-team playoff plan the BCS commissioners will present the presidents for approval.

BASEBALL: The Kent State-South Carolina game at the College World Series was postponed until this morning because of rain.

TRACK AND FIELD

HIGH SCHOOL: Waterville junior Bethany Brown was named the Gatorade Maine girls’ track and field athlete of the year. Brown is the first girls’ track and field athlete of the year to be chosen from Waterville High in the 27 years the company has honored the nation’s best high school athletes.

She won the 1,600-meter run at the Class B state meet with a Class B record time of 4 minutes, 55.23 seconds; and the 3,200-meter run in a record of 10:34.79, leading the Purple Panthers to the state title.

— From staff and news services

 

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