Basketball

Cavs to sign Smith for playoff push, Spurs to get Gooden

Cavs to sign Smith for playoff push, Spurs to get Gooden Los Angeles  - The Cleveland Cavaliers, looking to beef up their front court for the playoff push, will sign recently-released veteran forward Joe Smith on Wednesday.

"After careful consideration of his options, Joe has decided that the Cavs are the best fit," Smith's agent, Dan Fegan, told the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Smith was released by the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the 14-year veteran must wait to clear waivers before signing what is believed to be a one-year contract.

'I am wiser now'

'I am wiser now'It's been three long years since he walked down the Indian Gymkhana basketball court here in Matunga. That's long enough to have forgotten the feeling of TeraFlex under your feet, the smell of the sultry coastal air, noise of a frenzied crowd chanting your name and much more. For Sozhasingarayer Robinson, India's basketball sensation, it was déjà vu the moment he stepped in to play his first match at the Ramu Memorial Basketball Tournament on Tuesday.

Petit clinch Thriller

Foul play costs St Mary's School

It was a clash of the titans when JN Petit took on St Mary's in the 4th Vasantrao Limaye Memorial under-13 Basketball Championship, at the Dastur court here on Tuesday.

Though the teams were well matched on the paper, and in their skills, it was debutants JN Petit who had the last laugh as they huffed and puffed before prevailing 49-42 to enter into the semi-finals of the Championship.

From outdoor to indoor

As an 11-year-old, Geethu Anna Jose tagged alongside her sister as the two made their way to the athletics centre at Mt Carmel High School in Kottayam, Kerala every evening. Geethu watched her sister sweat it out on the track and field. Predictably, it wasn't long before she gave in to the temptation of wearing some athletic gear herself, trying to emulate her older sibling.

However, what wasn't predictable then was that five years later, Geethu would represent her country in a sport that hardly resembles athletics — basketball. Geethu, 23, today is India's women's captain. She has even played for Ringwood Hawks, an Australian professional basketball league team.

Bulls saddened by deaths of legends Kerr and Van Lear

Los Angeles  - The Chicago Bulls on Thursday experienced one of the saddest days in their 43-year-old history, with the deaths of former greats Johnny "Red" Kerr and Norm Van Lear.

Kerr, the legendary Bulls broadcaster, died of prostrate cancer at the age of 76.

"The entire Bulls organization is deeply saddened by the passing of Johnny "Red" Kerr," Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement.

"Johnny spent his entire life around the great game of basketball. His name was synonymous with basketball, both here in Chicago, and throughout the entire NBA.

Former NBA star Divac heads Serbia's Olympic committee

Former NBA star Divac heads Serbia's Olympic committee Belgrade - Serbian basketball star Vlade Divac was Tuesday named as the president of Serbia's Olympic committee, local media reported.

Divac was named president after his opponent, incumbent OC president Ivan Curkovic withdraw his candidacy.

Divac won several World and European titles with Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro. He also won the European club championship with Partizan Belgrade and had an prominent career spanning longer than 15 years in the US national basketball association (NBA).

Pages