WPPA/T102 SPORTS-WEDNESDAY

PIAA BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS

SECOND ROUND GAMES:

CLASS AA GIRLS

DELONE CATHOLIC 44
TAMAQUA 43

CLASS A BOYS

GIRARD COLLEGE 63
MARIAN 57

WEDNESDAY

CLASS A GIRLS

FROM GOVERNOR MIFFLIN INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL- TRI VALLEY VS DELCO CHRISTIAN-7:30PM-ON T102 AND T102RADIO.COM

FROM LEWISTOWN HIGH SCHOOL- NATIVITY VS NORTHERN CAMBRIA-7PM
ON WPPA AND WPPARADIO.COM

NEW YORK (AP) - TIGER WOODS' FELLOW GOLFERS ARE WELCOMING HIS ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE'LL RETURN TO THE PGA TOUR AT NEXT MONTH'S MASTERS. PADRAIG (PAH'-DRIG) HARRINGTON SAYS IT'S GOOD FOR GOLF. WOODS WILL BE PLAYING IN HIS FIRST TOURNAMENT SINCE A SEX SCANDAL BECAME PUBLIC AFTER THANKSGIVING.

DAYTON, OHIO (AP) - ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF BEAT WINTHROP 61-44 IN THE OPENING GAME OF THE NCAA TOURNAMENT TUESDAY NIGHT. THE GOLDEN LIONS WON THE RIGHT TO PLAY DUKE - THE NO. 1 SEED IN THE WEST - ON FRIDAY IN JACKSONVILLE, FLA.

UNDATED (AP) - IN ITS FIRST NIT APPEARANCE IN SEVEN YEARS, NORTH CAROLINA BEAT WILLIAM & MARY 80-72. THE TAR HEELS NEXT PLAY MISSISSIPPI STATE, WHICH ADVANCED WITH AN 81-67 VICTORY OVER JACKSON STATE. OTHER FIRST-ROUND WINNERS INCLUDED U-CONN, TEXAS TECH, UAB, NORTH CAROLINA STATE, AND JACKSONVILLE.

PHOENIX (AP) - THE PHOENIX SUNS SCORED THE MOST POINTS BY AN NBA TEAM THIS SEASON, BEATING THE MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES 152-114. JASON RICHARDSON SCORED 27 POINTS AND AMARE STOUDEMIRE ADDED 25 TO HELP THE SUNS HAND THE T-WOLVES THEIR 10TH STRAIGHT LOSS, AND 16TH IN THEIR LAST 17 GAMES.

SUNRISE, FLA. (AP) - ALEX OVECHKIN WAS OUT SERVING THE FIRST GAME OF A TWO-GAME SUSPENSION, BUT THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS GOT TWO GOALS FROM BROOKS LAICH AND A GOAL EACH FROM FIVE OTHER PLAYERS TO TROUNCE THE FLORIDA PANTHERS 7-3. OVECHKIN WAS SUSPENDED FOR A HIT THAT PUT CHICAGO'S BRIAN CAMPBELL OUT FOR THE REST OF THE REGULAR SEASON.

NASHVILLE, TENN. (AP) - MARTIN ERAT SCORED THE ONLY GOAL OF THE SHOOTOUT TO LEAD THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS TO A 4-3 WIN OVER THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS LAST NIGHT. STEVE SULLIVAN, ERAT, AND JERRED SMITHSON SCORED FOR NASHVILLE. JEFF CARTER, SIMON GAGNE, AND CHRIS PRONGER SCORED THE FLYERS GOALS.

CLEARWATER, FLA. (AP) - RYAN HOWARD HIT HIS FIRST HOME RUN OF THE SPRING AS THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES BEAT THE DETROIT TIGERS 6-1 YESTERDAY. PHILLIES PITCHER COLE HAMELS HELD THE TIGERS TO AN UNEARNED RUN AND TWO HITS IN FIVE INNINGS. HE STRUCK OUT FOUR AND WALKED NONE.

ATLANTA (AP) - AN LAWYER FOR PITTSBURGH STEELERS QUARTERBACK BEN ROETHLISBERGER SAYS ROETHLISBERGER STILL HASN'T MET WITH GEORGIA AUTHORITIES WHO ARE INVESTIGATING A SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATION MADE
AGAINST HIM BY A 20-YEAR-OLD COLLEGE STUDENT. LAWYER ED GARLAND SAYS THERE IS NO TIMETABLE FOR THE INTERVIEW AND THAT ROETHLISBERGER. HE HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED.

RENTON, WASH. (AP) - THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES HAVE TRADED DEFENSIVE END CHRIS CLEMONS AND A FOURTH-ROUND CHOICE IN NEXT MONTH'S DRAFT FOR SEATTLE SEAHAWKS PASS-RUSHING DEFENSIVE END DARRYL TAPP. TAPP HAS 18 SACKS, TWO INTERCEPTIONS, EIGHT FORCED FUMBLES AND FOUR FUMBLE RECOVERIES IN 65 NFL GAMES.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES HAVE SIGNED FREE AGENT RUNNING BACK MIKE BELL TO AN OFFER SHEET. THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS HAVE SEVEN DAYS TO MATCH THE CONTRACT OFFER. THEY WOULDN'T RECEIVE COMPENSATION FOR LETTING BELL GO. BELL HAD 654 YARDS RUSHING AND FIVE TOUCHDOWNS LAST SEASON.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - FORWARD BILL CLARK HAS BEEN SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY FROM THE DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM FOR WHAT THE SCHOOL SAID WAS UNACCEPTABLE CONDUCT. COACH RON EVERHART WOULDN'T ELABORATE ON THE SUSPENSION. CLARK IS DUQUESNE'S SECOND-LEADING SCORER AND REBOUNDER WITH AVERAGES OF 14.1 POINTS AND SIX REBOUNDS.

STATE COLLEGE, PA. (AP) - AFTER FINISHING THE SEASON 2-9 FOLLOWING A 15-4 START, THE PENN STATE LADY LIONS WILL MAKE THEIR FIRST POSTSEASON APPEARANCE IN FIVE YEARS WHEN THEY HOST HOFSTRA TOMORROW NIGHT IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE WOMEN'S NATIONAL INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT. PENN STATE IS 0-4 ALL-TIME IN THE WOMEN'S NIT.

BRISTOL, CONN. (AP) - PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA PREDICTS KANSAS, KANSAS STATE, KENTUCKY AND VILLANOVA WILL MAKE THE MEN'S BASKETBALL FINAL FOUR. OBAMA YESTERDAY FILLED OUT A BRACKET FOR ESPN FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR. THIS TIME, HE'S ALSO MAKING PICKS FOR THE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT, SELECTING CONNECTICUT, NOTRE DAME, STANFORD AND
TENNESSEE.