Grizzlies

Former 76ers all-star Allen Iverson, the NBA's most valuable player in 2001, announced his retirement last night, according to media reports. The Memphis Grizzlies released the 34-year-old guard last week and no one picked him up. "He had a great career if it is true," said Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, "but I still think he has more to offer. " On Nov. 16, the Grizzlies announced that they had ended their one-year contract with the 10-time all-star in what they called a mutual agreement.

On paper, this seems to be the year that Ursinus will blast into the upper echelon of Centennial Conference teams. The Grizzlies return 15 starters. They boast a high-powered offense engineered by junior quarterback Cliff Repetti, an honorable-mention all- conference selection last season. They have a solid defense anchored by linebacker Chuck Odgers, an academic all-American in 1986. But Ursinus has this monkey on its back, a monkey that seems to spoil things whenever victory is within the Grizzlies' grasp.

Grizzlies' new coach The Memphis Grizzlies hope to introduce Lionel Hollins as their new coach at a news conference today. The Grizzlies fired coach Marc Iavaroni on Thursday, and Johnny Davis acted as interim coach Friday, when Memphis lost, 108-88, at New York. Memphis general manager Chris Wallace told reporters in New York the team hoped to sign Hollins, a Milwaukee assistant. Wallace said he wanted Hollins to be able to run practices before Tuesday's game with Denver.

The 76ers traded center Marreese Speights to the Memphis Grizzlies Wednesday in exchange for a pair of second-round draft choices. The pick from the Grizzlies comes in the 2012 draft. The third team involved, the New Orleans Hornets, whom the Sixers play Wednesday night, will send a second-round pick in 2013. The Sixers will also get a $2.72 million trade exception - the equivalent to Speights' 2011-12 salary. "We wish Marreese all the best as he stars a new chapter in his career with Memphis," Sixers president of basketball operations Rod Thorn said.

Dallas Cowboys star Deion Sanders was arrested last night on a trespassing charge after being warned to leave a restricted lake on airport property in Fort Myers, Fla. Sanders, a Fort Myers native, was fishing on the lake with a friend when he was arrested by two officers from the Lee County Port Authority Police Department, said police spokeswoman Susan Sanders. "The only defense I have is that I'm sorry, but they were biting," Sanders, 28, told the News-Press of Fort Myers.

THE EARLY candidate for most interesting nugget from our boys down in Augusta was that Jack Nicklaus, for the longest time, never owned any of the green jackets he earned by winning six Masters. The club never seemed to have a 43 regular on hand, but in 1965 they gave him the one owned by Thomas Dewey, who is best known for the unfortunate 1948 Chicago Daily Tribune headline "Dewey defeats Truman. " The idea that Nicklaus has a closet full of green jackets also is a misperception.

He was the first player to dress as Superman and win a dunk contest, and he's now the first player to get three million votes from fans. The All-Star Game is fast becoming Dwight Howard's personal showcase. The Orlando Magic center - who leads the NBA in rebounds, blocked shots and double-doubles - received a record 3,150,181 votes to lead this season's starting All-Star lineups. The Feb. 15 game in Phoenix will mark the third All-Star trip for Howard, who'll be starting for the second time and easily topped the previous record of 2,558,278 votes collected by Houston's Yao Ming 4 years ago. "Wow, what a blessing," said Howard, the 6-11 center who dressed in full Superman regalia on the way to winning last year's slam dunk competition.

Montana survived a last-second rally to beat Appalachian State, 24-17, last night in Missoula, Mont., and reach the Football Championship Subdivision title game. Jabin Sambrano had caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Selle with 1 minute, 31 seconds left to give the Grizzlies the lead over the Mountaineers (11-3). Montana (14-0) dealt with frigid temperatures and slippery conditions on a snow-covered field to make the championship game for the second straight year. The Grizzlies will play Villanova on Friday night in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The Memphis Grizzlies entered last night's game against the 76ers ranked first in the NBA in three-point percentage at 39.0 percent, and with two players - Mike Miller and Shane Battier - among the league leaders. That was a potential problem for the Sixers, who have allowed more three-pointers (325) and three-point attempts (933) than anyone else in the league, although their 34.8 percent mark is a respectable 10th in the NBA. Sixers coach Jim O'Brien said the best way to deal with three-point shooting is to make sure his defense gets up on whoever has the ball and strongly defend the pick-and-roll.

The 76ers may have played some ugly basketball games this season, but they just might have saved their worst one for last night against the only team in the NBA with a worse record than they have. The Sixers were buried under a Memphis avalanche that put them down 25 points in the second quarter, and they fell to the Grizzlies, 118-102. The Grizzlies equaled the Sixers' victory total of 10 for the season, although they have one more defeat than the Sixers. The team that finishes with the worst record has the best odds of winning the NBA lottery and the No. 1 overall pick.