Cba

The Albany Patroons yesterday gave coach Bill Musselman his fourth consecutive Continental Basketball Association title, rallying from a 14-point deficit for a 105-96 victory over the Wyoming Wildcatters in the seventh and deciding game of the league's championship series. Lowes Moore came off the bench to score 23 points, and series MVP Tod Murphy scored 21 as Albany captured its second CBA crown. Wyoming was in front for most of the first half. With Kenny Natt scoring 12 points and Michael Graham adding nine, the Wildcatters built a 33-19 lead early in the second quarter.

The Albany Patroons, of the Continental Basketball Association, suspended their coach, former NBA All-Star Micheal Ray Richardson, for anti-Semitic comments he made to the Albany, N.Y., Times Union Tuesday. Richardson was suspended for the rest of the best-of-five CBA championship series, which his team trails, 2-0, to Yakima. He made the remarks before Tuesday's playoff opener while discussing a new contract offer. "I've got big-time lawyers," Richardson told the Times Union.

If Tim Legler seemed to play with particular intensity, well, he just might have been. Legler, the former La Salle star who is now with the Dallas Mavericks, was on the final day of his second 10-day contract for last night's game against the 76ers at the Spectrum. According to NBA rules, the Mavericks must release him today or sign him for the remainder of the season. After helping Dallas to an 89-87 victory with 10 points, three assists and some tough defense in 23 quality, off-the-bench minutes, Legler probably ensured his spot on the roster.

Former Lehigh star Daren Queenan, a 6-5 shooting guard for the Charleston Gunners, has been named the 1989 Continental Basketball Association rookie of the year in a vote by the league's 12 coaches. "Daren Queenan has been a true team leader and team player this season," Charleston head coach Tex Williams said after yesterday's announcement. "He's very unselfish. I would expect him to get a shot at the NBA next season. " Queenan, a Norristown High product who was Charleston's sixth-round draft pick, averaged 24.7 points per game last season, first among the rookie class and second overall in the league.

When Joe Courtney left the gym in Rock Island, Ill., Friday night, he was leading the Quad City Thunder in scoring, scorching the CBA for 18.8 points and 7.2 rebounds in 28 games. "I was thinking, 'How much more of this can I take?' " the newest 76er was saying. "I went back to my hotel, the message light was on, [Sixers general manager Brad Greenberg] asked me how things were going. Then he asked whether I was ready. I was halfway packed before I got off the phone. " The 6-9 Courtney caught a flight to Philadelphia Saturday morning, passed his physical examination, signed a 10-day contract, then took a seat on the charter flight to Indianapolis.

Isiah Thomas signed a letter of intent to sell the Continental Basketball Association to the union that represents NBA players, according to published reports yesterday. The move may clear the way for the former Detroit Pistons star to succeed Larry Bird as coach of the Indiana Pacers, although the NBA still must approve the move. NBA officials have said Thomas, who last month was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame, couldn't take a coaching job while he owned the CBA. The Indianapolis Star reported that Thomas owes about $750,000 from his purchase of the CBA, which has a loose agreement with the NBA to develop players.

The Continental Basketball Association temporarily suspended play yesterday, with league owner Isiah Thomas attempting to sell the teams to local groups. "After a long and exhaustive process, the trustee for the Isiah Thomas blind trust has determined it is in the best interest of all parties concerned to return all CBA teams back to local ownership," the Phoenix-based league said. The league's value plummeted when the NBA decided to operate its own developmental league rather than relying on the CBA, though the NBA extended its partnership through the current season.

With 1 minute, 35 seconds left in last night's Non-Public South A boys' basketball championship at Jackson Liberty High, Holy Spirit coach Jamie Gillespie ran up the white flag. The Spartans were trailing Christian Brothers Academy, 58-33, and it was time for the subs. Third-seeded CBA (27-2), winner of 16 sectional titles, walked away with a 64-36 victory after running away with the game. The Colts are scheduled to play in Saturday's final at the Ritacco Center in Toms River.

Gerald Henderson is on a list, he's checked it twice, now he's trying to decide whether it's naughty or nice. The list is in the Continental Basketball Association's Dec. 12 newsletter. It counts 43 CBA veterans who were on NBA rosters Opening Day. It includes the Sixers' Scott Brooks, who played with Albany (N.Y.) last season, and recently cut Pete Myers, who spent 28 games with Rockford (Ill.) last season. But Henderson says the count is off, by at least one. "Not me," the 76ers' guard said after yesterday's practice at St. Joseph's University.

NEWARK, N.J. - Today, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren begins a busy week by attending he NHL's annual general managers meetings in beautiful Boca Raton, Fla. The meetings run through Wednesday. After that, Holmgren will head out on a scouting trip to check on some of the NCAA's hottest undrafted free agents in their respective conference tournaments. The Flyers already have inked Ohio State goaltender Cal Heeter to a new deal Sources say the Flyers are in the hunt for University of Minnesota-Duluth sophomore forward J.T. Brown, one of the premier scorers on the market this year.

The list of former NFL players or their relatives in a lawsuit accusing the league of concealing the long-term dangers of concussions has topped 4,200, and keeps growing. But the case must clear major legal obstacles before ever getting a chance at trial. The first looms this week in a Philadelphia courtroom. On Tuesday, NFL lawyers will plead with U.S. District Judge Anita Brody to dismiss the suit. They contend it does not belong in court because player grievances have long been covered by the union contracts that govern disputes between players and the league.

The NFL salary cap for the 2013 season will rise to $123 million from $120.6 million in 2012, an NFL Players Association official familiar with negotiations over the figure told the Associated Press on Thursday. The increase, which is larger than some in the NFL had anticipated, is a result of greater-than-expected revenues last season - primarily from NFL Properties - and a jump in projected league revenues, according to the official. The league and the union work together to establish a cap number, based on parameters established under their collective bargaining agreement.

I feel bad for University of Kentucky freshman center Nerlens Noel. He's getting the short end of the stick. In a different world, he would be like Sixers center Andrew Bynum - getting paid millions of guaranteed dollars despite being unable to play for some NBA team. Instead, the torn ACL injury in his left knee he suffered in a NCAA game on Tuesday has put Noel's future earning power as a professional basketball player at risk. In a different world, one before the 2005 NBA's collective bargaining agreement with the players association, Noel might have still torn his ACL, but he most likely would be an NBA rookie lottery pick playing on a contract that guaranteed him around $7 million to $10 million whether he never played another game.

KEVIN OLLIE is, if nothing else, a survivor. How else do you describe someone who, after starting his career in the CBA, spent all or part of 13 seasons in the NBA with 12 different teams? I mean, has anyone ever had more 10-day contracts? The Connecticut point guard spent more time with the Sixers (1999-2001, 2004-08) than any other franchise. So Philadelphia will always remain a large part of him. Especially the indelible run to the Finals with Allen Iverson. "My time there was special," Ollie recalled recently.

NEW YORK - Long before NHL commissioner Gary Bettman enacted this flawed lockout 111 days ago, the league entered bargaining in July with a laundry list of demands. Among the original absolutes were a reduction in the players' revenue share, and thus a reduction in the salary cap, along with unrealistic ideals of limiting free agency and arbitration rights. Remember when deputy commissioner Bill Daly said on Dec. 6 that limiting contracts to a maximum of 5 years was a "hill we're prepared to die on"?

The NHL and the players' union will meet in New York City on Monday morning and try to hammer out a collective bargaining agreement to end the 107-day lockout. The sides met for 21/2 hours Sunday to go over the NHL's latest proposal, but there was no formal negotiating. On Monday, the union is expected to make a counterproposal to the owners' 300-page offer. The NHL made some concessions, but Donald Fehr, executive director of the NHL Players' Association, is expected to challenge the league's proposed $60 million salary cap for 2013-14 - it would be at $70.2 million this season but would be prorated for 48 games.

Since the doors were chained shut to NHL locker rooms and arenas on Sept. 15, the same sentiment has been echoed from players around the league: "We want to play. " The players have said it. On Friday, the owners showed it. Fearing the cancellation of a second season in 8 years because of labor unrest, and the very real possibility of franchise values dropping by 25 percent or more, and hockey falling further out of the U.S. sporting landscape, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman emailed the NHL Players' Association a hefty, 300-page proposal for a new collective-bargaining agreement.

The day after labor negotiations between the NHL and the players' union imploded, the face of the league, Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby, strongly hinted he would not return to the talks, and former Flyers winger Scottie Upshall harshly criticized the league for its stubbornness. Crosby attended meetings in New York City during the week and seemed baffled by what had transpired. "I think it's pretty tough to get guys' trust back after that," he told reporters after working out at a rink in suburban Pittsburgh on Friday.

NEW YORK - If the NHL and the players' union come to terms on a collective bargaining agreement - and they tried to inch toward one as they met again Wednesday in New York - Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle figures to get lots of the credit. The sides continued to be cautiously optimistic Wednesday, the 81st day of the lockout and the second straight day of meetings between owners and players - and again without the leaders, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Donald Fehr, executive director of the NHL Players' Association.