PRO BASKETBALL

MOURNING TO RETURN TO HEAT

Miami center Alonzo Mourning announced yesterday that he will return for another season with the Heat.

The 35-year-old Mourning had been contemplating retirement since the Heat were eliminated by the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals two months ago. The former All-Star center was due to become a free agent after last season, but the Heat picked up the option on his contract in June.

Mourning averaged 5.0 points,3.7 rebounds, and 1.74 blocks in 19 games backing up Shaquille O’Neal last season after he signed with the Heat in March as a free agent after playing two seasons with New Jersey. He averaged 7.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks in 37 games with the two teams last season.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

NCAA BUYS NIT TO END LEGAL FIGHT

The NCAA owns college basketball’s postseason. Really. The organization that made March mad with the 65-team national championship tournament purchased the rights to the preseason and postseason National Invitation Tournaments as part of a settlement that ends a four-year legal fight between the two parties.

In the deal announced yesterday, the NCAA will pay $56.5 million to the five New York City colleges that operate the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Basketball Association, the organization that has run the NIT since 1940.The 40-team postseason NIT, which is a year older and was once the bigger event, will now be run by the NCAA.

Fordham University, Manhattan College, St. John’s University, Wagner College, and New York University will receive $40.5 million for the rights to tournaments and $16 million in litigation fees over a 10-year period.

FOOTBALL

REPORT: FAVRE HAS CHRONIC HIP CONDITION

Brett Favre has a chronic hip condition that almost prevented him from being traded to the Green Bay Packers 13 years ago, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported yesterday.

Favre and former Packers general manager Ron Wolf said Tuesday at training camp that the three-time NFL MVP was diagnosed in 1992 with avascular necrosis, a condition that can lead to hip replacement surgery.

OWENS ALL SMILES IN RETURN TO EAGLES CAMP

Terrell Owens ran routes, caught passes, and joked around with his Philadelphia Eagles teammates – quite a different T.O. from the one booted out of training camp a week ago.

This Terrell Owens smiled, laughed and even tutored some of the younger receivers on the sidelines yesterday.

“He was fine today. He did a great job,” said coach Andy Reid, who last Wednesday gave the All-Pro wideout the heave-ho and told him not to come back for a week.

TITANS REACH DEAL WITH TOP PICK JONES

The Tennessee Titans finally reached a deal with top draft pick Adam “Pacman” Jones last night, ending their longest contract holdout since relocating to the state of Tennessee. Jones had missed the first 20 days of training camp, but reached agreement in principle on a five-year deal with $13.5 million in guaranteed money.

With this deal, only running back Cedric Benson of Chicago remained unsigned in the NFL.

SOCCER

U.S. BLANKS TRINIDAD & TOBAGO IN CUP QUALIFIER

Brian McBride scored the second-fastest American goal in World Cup qualifying, moving the U.S. to the brink of its fifth straight appearance in soccer’s showcase tournament. McBride’s goal 91 seconds in put the Americans ahead, and they dominated Trinidad and Tobago 1-0 last night.

The Americans could have blown the game open early, but they frittered away another half-dozen good scoring chances, making for a tense second half even though they outshot T &T 18-1 overall. American goalkeeper Kasey Keller had his fourth straight shutout in qualifying, extending his qualifying shutout streak to 417 minutes.

The Americans (5-1) moved into the lead in the final round of the North and Central American and Caribbean region with 15 points, two ahead of Mexico (4-0-1), which hosted Costa Rica (2-2-1) late last night. The Americans likely could clinch a berth by beating the Mexicans in their next game, on September 3 at Columbus, Ohio, and they ensured themselves of no worse than fourth place – which would mean a playoff against Bahrain or Uzbekistan for a World Cup slot.

HOCKEY

JOSEPH SIGNS ONE-YEAR DEAL WITH PHOENIX

Curtis Joseph signed a one-year contract with the Phoenix Coyotes yesterday, guaranteeing competition for the no. 1 goalie spot on a team that was weak in the net until a few weeks ago.

The 38-year-old Joseph, who ranks ninth on the NHL career list in wins, went 16-10-3 in 31 games with Detroit in 2003-04. Joseph posted two shutouts, a .909 save percentage and a 2.39 goals-against average, but had to play behind Dominik Hasek after injuring an ankle.

TENNIS

WILLIAMS WITHDRAWS FROM ROGERS CUP Fifth-seeded Serena Williams withdrew from the $1.3 million Rogers Cup tournament yesterday in Toronto with an injured left knee. Williams defeated Stephanie Cohen-Aloro of France 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the second round Tuesday.

She had been sidelined since Wimbledon with an injured left ankle. “Because of my ankle injury I had to take some time off so my leg isn’t as strong as it needs to be,” Williams said in a release. “So the pain in my knee is a result of that.”

Williams was the sixth top-20 player to withdraw from the event in the past week.

FEDERER, RODDICK ADVANCE AT CINCINNATI MASTERS

World no. 1 Roger Federer failed to hold serve four times but beat Nicolas Kiefer of Germany 4-6,6-4,6-4 yesterday in the second round of the $2.45 million Cincinnati Masters.

Fifth-seeded Andy Roddick outlasted and then overpowered Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain in the most closely played match of the day. The American won 6-7 (3), 7-6 (5), 6-2.

– Associated Press