IN BRIEF (Page 24)
Basketball
Dallas picks up old-timer Willis for playoffs
DALLAS, Texas: The league-leading Dallas Mavericks, looking for another big body for the NBA playoffs, signed 44-year-old Kevin Willis to a 10-day contract on Monday.
A 20-year veteran, Willis has not played in the NBA since appearing in 29 games for Atlanta in the 2004-05 season. He had a reputation as one of the best-conditioned players in the league.
The only player older than Willis to take the court was 46-year-old Nat Hickey, who played one game for the Providence Steamrollers in the 1947-48 season. Hall of Fame centre Robert Parish played until he was 43.
Willis ran into Mavericks owner Mark Cuban at All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas, and the men discussed a possible comeback. Willis would play behind the centre tandem of Erick Dampier and DeSagana Diop.
Soccer
Gabriel is Villa's angel as Everton are held
BIRMINGHAM, England: Aston Villa grabbed a vital point in their bid to avoid relegation here on Monday as Gabriel Agbonlahor scored a late equaliser to draw 1-1 with Everton.
Agbonlahor's strike enabled Villa to move five points clear of third from bottom Charlton Athletic - though their winless streak in the Premiership stretched to five - while Everton's hopes of putting more pressure on Arsenal for the fourth and final Champions League spot were dealt a blow with the two dropped points.
They remain in seventh, eight points off the Gunners.
Rugby
All Black Tuitupou to play in England
WELLINGTON: All Blacks midfielder Sam Tuitupou is leaving New Zealand to play rugby club in England.
The 25-year-old Auckland back, who has played nine times for the All Blacks since making his debut in 2004, has signed a two-and-a-half year contract with the Worcester club.
"We just feel that it is the right time for the family and I to get away, and experience a new environment and a new opportunity," Tuitupou said in a statement.
He was recalled to the All Blacks last year and played three test matches against Argentina and South Africa.
Tuitupou said a return to New Zealand at some stage in the future had not been ruled out.
Ice Hockey
Division-leading Devils fire Julien
NEW YORK: The Atlantic Division-leading New Jersey Devils fired coach Claude Julien on Monday and replaced him with general manager Lou Lamoriello.
Lamoriello replaced coach Larry Robinson in December of 2005 through the end of the 2006 playoffs and led the team to a 32-14-4 record and a first-place division finish.
He replaces Julien with just three games left in the regular season.
New Jersey leads the division with a 47-24-8 record and secured its 10th straight playoff berth on March 20.
Cricket
Manager denies players made racist comments
ST JOHN'S, Antigua: New Zealand team manager Lindsay Crocker denied on Monday a front-page in the Antigua Sun accusing unnamed players of making racist comments to catering staff at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
The report said the players had said "Good morning niggers" to employees of a catering company before last Thursday's World Cup Super Eights match against West Indies.
Crocker told the New Zealand Press Association he had investigated the allegation with the International Cricket Council's operations director Michael Hall.
(China Daily 04/04/2007 page24)
