*NBA: Dwight Howard of the Magic became the youngest player to win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year Award, capturing the honor Tuesday. Howard, 23, was only the fifth player to lead the league in blocks and rebounds in the same season. The Cavaliers’ LeBron James was second, and the Heat’s Dwyane Wade finished third. The only other players to be simultaneous rebounding and blocks champions were Bill Walton, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon and Ben Wallace. … Spanish teenager Ricky Rubio will enter the NBA draft. Rubio, 18, has been rated as one of the top picks for the June 25 draft. … The Pacers say they will stick with coach Jim O’Brien despite back-to-back losing seasons.
*COLLEGES : Villanova guard Scottie Reynolds declared for the NBA draft but will not hire an agent. … USC coach Pete Carroll says sophomore Aaron Corp will be the starting quarterback through the summer and into fall camp. … Two Faulkner University sophomore offensive linemen were killed in a car accident in southern Alabama. The university said Teirson Hollis and Ryne Wilhite died instantly when their car hit an 18-wheeler. … The NCAA has approved sand volleyball as an emerging sport for women. The NCAA is calling the sport sand volleyball instead of beach volleyball to make it more attractive to landlocked schools.
*AUTO RACING : Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Casey Mears were penalized for intentionally bumping each other’s cars after Saturday’s race at Phoenix International Raceway. NASCAR put both drivers on probation for six races, but neither was fined or lost points. … A hybrid will be the official pace car for the first time in NASCAR when Toyota lends a Camry for use in next month’s Coca-Cola 600.
*TENNIS: Prize money is going up by 6.2 percent at Wimbledon this year. Tournament organizers said the total prize fund will be about $18.4 million for the June 22-July 5 tournament. That compares to $17.2 million last year. … The new retractable roof over Wimbledon’s Centre Court could mean the first matches past twilight for players and fans at the All England Club. The 56,000-square-foot folding roof was unveiled Tuesday. … Former French Open champion Gaston Gaudio won his first match in nearly two years by defeating Argentine countryman Diego Junqueira 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 at the Barcelona Open in Spain.
*NHL : Wild All-Star goalie Niklas Backstrom will have surgery on his left hip Friday. Also, left wing Derek Boogaard has undergone surgery on his right shoulder and will begin rehabilitation Wednesday. … Six-time Vezina Trophy winner Dominik Hasek, 44, will come out of retirement to play for his former club in the top Czech league. … The U.S. lost to Switzerland 5-2 in its final warmup before the 16-nation world championships begin Friday in Kloten, Switzerland.
*SOCCER: Toronto FC coach John Carver has been fined $750 by Major League Soccer for criticizing referee Tim Weyland after a 3-2 loss to FC Dallas on Sunday. … Iranian state television says the country’s new soccer coach has resigned just two weeks after being appointed to the post. The report said Mohammed Mayely-Kohan resigned after disputes with supporters of a prominent club team.
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EDITED BY TOM CARKEEK FROM TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICES
