In Brief

FOOTBALL

With Florida going to pro-style offense, QB Brantley will stay

Junior quarterback John Brantley, mostly ineffective in Florida's spread system this past season, said Friday he will finish his college career with the Gators. Brantley considered transferring after coach Urban Meyer resigned last month and was replaced by Will Muschamp.

Brantley decided to stay after Florida hired Charlie Weis as offensive coordinator. Weis will install a pro-style system similar to the offense Brantley ran in high school.

Brantley, one of the country's prized recruits in 2007, had a disappointing season after replacing Tim Tebow. Brantley completed 61 percent of his passes for 2,061 yards, with nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Also: Houston quarterback Case Keenum, who missed the final nine games of this past season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA. Keenum needs 3,487 yards to surpass Tim Chang's NCAA career record of 17,072 and is 28 touchdown passes shy of Graham Harrell's career mark of 134.

Tulsa promoted assistant Bill Blankenship, who played quarterback at the school in the 1970s, to head coach. He replaces Todd Graham, who left after four seasons to coach Pittsburgh.

Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson was named to the Pro Bowl to replace injured Jacksonville Jaguars star Maurice Jones-Drew. Johnson has made the team all three of his NFL seasons.

Six members of the Locomotives were among 25 United Football League players who signed futures contracts with NFL teams. Quarterback Drew Willy (New York Jets), defensive end Adrian Awasom (Minnesota), safety C.J. Wallace (San Diego), offensive tackles Herb Taylor (Denver) and Brandon Braxton (Cleveland) and linebacker Brian Toal (Jets) will get an opportunity to make an NFL roster next season.

BASKETBALL

Rockets get salary exception after Yao's season-ending injury

The NBA granted a disabled-player salary exception to the Houston Rockets in the wake of center Yao Ming's season-ending injury.

Yao underwent surgery Jan. 6 to repair a stress fracture in his left ankle. The disabled-player exception allows the Rockets to acquire a free agent or trade for a player without having to match salaries, up to the value of the midlevel exception (about $5.765 million). Houston must use the exception by Jan. 31.

Also: The Boston Celtics assigned rookie guard Avery Bradley to the NBA Development League's Maine Red Claws. Bradley, a former Findlay Prep star who played one year at Texas, averaged 1.1 points in 4.7 minutes in 14 games this season.

Former Centennial High School star Italee Lucas scored 19 points to lead No. 11 North Carolina to an 83-76 women's victory over rival North Carolina State in Chapel Hill, N.C. Lucas had six assists, four rebounds, three steals and two 3-point baskets for the Tar Heels.

MISCELLANAEOUS

Haugen reaches second day of PBA World Championship

Michael Haugen Jr. defeated Jason Belmonte at the South Point to advance to today's second day of eliminations in the PBA World Championship. Belmonte opened play by defeating Wes Malott before losing to Haugen, 223-220.

Today's matches will begin at 5:30 p.m. and involve Haugen, Mika Koivuniemi and Chris Barnes. Today's winner, Osku Palermaa, Sean Rash and top-seeded Bill O'Neill will compete for the title at 10 a.m. Sunday.

Also: NASCAR veteran Robby Gordon edged Las Vegan B.J. Baldwin to win the pole for the two-day SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge, which begins today at the Laughlin Events Center. Gordon's time of 6 minutes, 23.08 seconds on the 6.25-mile course was nine seconds better than Baldwin's. Both teams compete in SCORE Trophy-Trucks.

Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Holmstrom broke his hand in a 3-2 road shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets and will be out for a month. The Wings also lost goalie Jimmy Howard to a bruised right knee. X-rays were negative, but Howard is doubtful for today's home game against Columbus.

Top-seeded David Ferrer defeated sixth-seeded David Nalbandian 6-3, 6-2 in the final of the Heineken Open in Auckland, New Zealand.

Li Na won her fourth career WTA title, overcoming a 5-0 deficit in the first set to beat third-seeded Kim Clijsters 7-6 (3), 6-3 at the Sydney International.

UNLV senior Adrienn Hidvegi went 1-1 in the main draw of women's singles and the Rebels' Nives Pavlovic and Anna Maskaljun won their first-round doubles match in the main draw of the Freeman Memorial Tennis Championships at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.

The 16th-ranked UNLV men's swimming and diving teams defeated Denver 141-138 and Air Force 179-114 in a double-dual meet at Denver. The Rebels women beat Air Force 220-71 and lost to Denver, 176-121.