IN BRIEF

COLLEGES

Late coaching great Wooden
recalled as 'one in a billion'

John Wooden was remembered Saturday for being "one in a billion as a coach, mentor and friend" during a memorial service uniting the decades of "boys" who helped him win a record 10 national championships at UCLA.

A sepia-toned photo of the man who answered to the simple moniker of "Coach" rested on one end of a stage inside Pauley Pavilion, where Wooden plied his trade on the basketball court.

The 10 gold-and-blue banners representing each of his NCAA titles were spotlighted in the rafters.

"His spirit will be a part of this building forever," said broadcaster Al Michaels, who opened and closed the public service attended by 4,000.

UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero told the crowd that Section 103B, Row 2, Seat 1 -- roped off and bathed in a spotlight -- is now retired. That was where Wooden could be found sitting for years after his 1975 retirement, watching the Bruins' games and patiently signing autographs.

"No one else will ever sit there," Guerrero said as the audience applauded.

Among those in attendance Saturday were current UCLA coach Ben Howland and many of Wooden's former players, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton, Jamaal Wilkes, Keith Erickson, Walt Hazzard, Gail Goodrich, Marques Johnson, David Meyers, Henry Bibby, Michael Warren and Sidney Wicks.

Wooden died June 4 at 99.

Also: Three incoming UCLA football players were arrested on suspicion of felony theft, officials and public records said.

Joshua Shirley, Shaquille Richardson and Paul Richardson -- all 18-year-old freshmen enrolled in the school's summer session -- were arrested on the UCLA campus Wednesday, booked at a Los Angeles County jail and released early Thursday morning, sheriff's department records showed.

Shaquille Richardson and Paul Richardson posted $20,000 bail each, and Shirley was released without posting bail, the records showed.

A UCLA police watch commander said he had no immediate information on the arrests or the alleged crimes, and a UCLA athletics spokesman offered no details.

"We're aware of the situation, we're looking into it, and we'll have a comment at the appropriate time," athletics spokesman Marc Dellins said.

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

Werdum upsets Emelianenko
to highlight Strikeforce card

Fedor Emelianenko suffered a shocking loss as he was submitted 1:09 into the first round by Brazilian Fabricio Werdum in a Strikeforce heavyweight bout at San Jose, Calif.

Emelianenko is widely regarded as one of the world's top pound-for-pound fighters and had not lost a mixed martial arts bout since 2000.

Emelianenko knocked down Werdum early in the fight and tried to finish the former UFC fighter on the ground. Instead, Werdum was able to catch Emelianenko in a triangle choke-arm bar and forced him to tap out for the first time in his career.

On the undercard, Cung Le avenged his only MMA loss by stopping Scott Smith at 1:46 of the second round of their middleweight contest. Strikeforce women's champion Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos dominated Jan Finney and retained her title with a second-round TKO.

MISCELLANEOUS

Phelps first in 200 butterfly,
last in 100 free at Paris Open

Michael Phelps easily won the 200-meter butterfly at the Paris Open before ending the first day of the meet by finishing last in the 100-meter freestyle.

Phelps led from the start of the 200 butterfly, finishing in 1 minute, 55.70 seconds. Christophe Lebon edged fellow Frenchman Jordan Coelho to finish second in 1:59.01.

Phelps swam in the 100 freestyle final about 30 minutes later and finished eighth. Frenchman Fabien Gilot won in 48.65. Swimming in lane one next to world champion Cesar Cielo of Brazil, Phelps had a slow start and clocked 49.70.

Also: Rod Thorn is stepping down as president and general manager of the New Jersey Nets.

A person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press that the 69-year-old Thorn will resign next month. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not authorized public comment.

Budget shortfalls forced the UNR athletic department to eliminate both of its ski programs last year. Now, UNR's athletic department might be forced to drop another sport if attendance doesn't pick up this fall in the face of another $1 million deficit.

UNR president Milton Glick said the shortfall is the result of a 17 percent cut in state-appropriated funds, along with sluggish ticket sales for the men's basketball and football programs.

Glick said they need a significant boost in attendance for both sports.

The basketball team's attendance dropped nearly 20 percent last year to an average of about 5,500 fans per home game. The UNR football team's average home attendance of 17,500 fans ranked 101st out of 120 teams in Division I.

Hometown favorite Lolo Jones cruised to the 100-meter hurdles title at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa.

Jones, who grew up in Des Moines, won her second outdoor national title in 12.69 seconds.

Jeremy Wariner, the favorite in the 400, collapsed halfway through the finals with a hip flexor injury. He was helped off the track as Greg Nixon won in 44.61.

Sanya Richards-Ross, been battling a quadriceps injury since April, was a late scratch in the 400. Debbie Dunn took advantage, winning in a world-leading 49.64.

Chaunte Lowe broke her own American record in the high jump, leaping 6 feet, 8 inches.

Lauren Lappin had three hits and four RBIs, and Jennie Finch picked up the victory as the United States beat Botswana 21-0 in a game that was stopped after three innings at the world softball championships in Caracas, Venezuela.

The Americans will have a tougher time today against Australia, which is expected to challenge Japan and the U.S. for the title.

Devil May Care, making her first start since running 10th against the colts in the Kentucky Derby, rebounded to win the $250,000 Mother Goose Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park in New York.

John Velazquez was aboard as Devil May Care beat Connie and Michael by 1¼ lengths for her fourth win in seven races. The time was 1:42.06 for the 1 1/16 miles on the fast track.

Turning Top overtook pacesetter Princess Taylor in the final sixteenth of a mile and went on to a one-length victory in the $100,000 Beverly Hills Handicap at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif.

Ridden by Brice Blanc, Turning Top ran 1¼ miles on the turf in 2:01.69.