In Brief

MEDIA

Andrews stalker to serve 30 months in prison

An Illinois insurance executive who secretly shot nude videos of ESPN reporter Erin Andrews was sentenced Monday in Los Angeles to 2½ years in prison after giving a tearful apology that was harshly rebuked by his victim.

Michael David Barrett pleaded guilty in December to interstate stalking after prosecutors accused him of following the reporter to at least three cities and shooting the videos through hotel peepholes.

Barrett, 48, of suburban Chicago, agreed to a 27-month prison sentence after pleading guilty, but Andrews urged the judge at the hearing for a harsher sentence. U.S. District Judge Manuel Real said he gave Barrett the maximum sentence under the law.

PRO BASKETBALL

Wizards' Arenas says punishment warranted

Gilbert Arenas says he deserves to be punished for bringing guns to the locker room.

The suspended Washington Wizards guard told Esquire magazine that he wasn't using "longevity thinking" when he took out four guns in what he says was an attempt to play a prank on teammate Javaris Crittenton in December.

Arenas pleaded guilty to a felony gun charge in January and will be sentenced next week. He has been suspended until the end of the season by the NBA.

Arenas said he "messed up" the legacy of Wizards owner Abe Pollin, who died in November. He said he called Pollin's widow to personally apologize and told her, "I deserve to be punished."

Also: Injured Cleveland center Shaquille O'Neal has rejoined the Cavaliers. O'Neal has been out since tearing a ligament in his thumb on Feb. 25 and undergoing surgery. General manager Danny Ferry said O'Neal met with doctors and will start rehabilitation.

He will not be traveling with the team.

The Phoenix Suns assigned first-round draft pick Earl Clark to the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League. The 6-foot-10-inch Clark was the 14th overall pick in the draft out of Louisville.

MISCELLANEOUS

DirecTV reaches deal to bring back Versus

DirecTV and Versus have reached a deal after more than six months to return the sports network to the satellite television service.

DirecTV dropped Versus after their contract concluded at the end of August and the two sides were not able to reach a new agreement.

Due to the conflict, Saturday's Mountain West Conference basketball championship game between UNLV and San Diego State was not available to DirecTV customers.

Also: Novak Djokovic staved off triple match point in the third set to beat Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (3) in third-round play at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif.

Defending champion and third-ranked Rafael Nadal routed Mario Ancic of Croatia, 6-2, 6-2.

Kim Clijsters' comeback took a step backward as the Belgian lost to Russian Alisa Kleybanova, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4).

PGA Tour rookie Derek Lamely won the weather-delayed Puerto Rico Open in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, shooting 66 to finish at 19-under 269, two shots ahead of Kris Blanks.

Two-time NHL Most Valuable Player Alex Ovechkin was suspended for the Washington Capitals' next two games because of a reckless hit in Saturday's 4-3 overtime win against Chicago.

Mike Modano of the Dallas Stars is out indefinitely after the star center underwent surgery to remove his appendix.