BASKETBALL

MORRISON EXPECTED TO DECLARE FOR NBA DRAFT Gonzaga forward Adam Morrison is expected to forgo his senior year and declare for the NBA draft, according to numerous reports. Morrison, a first-team All-America and the nation’s leading scorer, has not commented on the reports, but has scheduled a press conference at Gonzaga for this afternoon.

Morrison, who averaged 28.1 points per game last season, is expected to be a first round draft choice in the June 28 NBA draft. He has until April 29 to officially declare for the draft. The West Coast Conference player of the year, Morrison scored at least 30 points 14 times this season and five times scored at least 40 points as he became the second Bulldogs player to win the national scoring title.

SOCCER

BARCELONA TAKES CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMIFINAL EDGE Barcelona took a step toward the Champions League final when a Ludovic Giuly goal earned them a 1-0 win over AC Milan in their semi-final first leg at the San Siro stadium yesterday in Milan.

Giuly’s strike in the 57th minute – with a sharp finish after he raced on to a superb pass from Ronaldinho – came after Milan had three times gone close to an opener. Alberto Gilardino hit the post in the 14th minute and then Andriy Shevchenko had a header parried by Barca keeper Victor Valdes before Gilardino wasted a great chance in the 51st. Barca could have come away with an even better result, but Ronaldinho hit the post at the end of a swift counter-attack while Milan wasted another chance when substitute Massimo Ambrosini curved a shot wide in the 81st minute.

Arsenal will host Villarreal in the first leg of the other semifinal today.

BASEBALL

NATIONALS GM BOWDEN ARRESTED FOR DUI Washington Nationals general manager Jim Bowden was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after allegedly running a stop sign while in Florida during his team’s series against the Marlins last weekend.

A few minutes before he was stopped, Bowden and his girlfriend were apparently involved in a physical altercation that left him with scratches and resulted in battery and resisting arrest charges against her.

A Miami Beach police report said the 44-year-old Bowden refused to take a breath alcohol test after he was stopped at 2:22 a.m. Monday. An officer said he saw Bowden run the stop sign on Collins Avenue, a main thoroughfare in the South Beach neighborhood. He failed field sobriety tests and was arrested, the report said.

Bowden’s arrest comes as Major League Baseball closes in on announcing a new owner for the former Montreal Expos.

HOCKEY

KINGS FIRE GM TAYLOR The Los Angeles Kings have fired general manager Dave Taylor, a team official said yesterday. The Kings will ask Taylor to remain with the team in another capacity. The 50-year-old Taylor was fired after the Kings played poorly down the stretch and fell out of playoff contention for the second year in a row. Coach Andy Murray was fired last month when the Kings had a 37-28-5 record and were tied for seventh – and a playoff spot – in the Western Conference.

– Associated Press