Austin American-Statesman from Austin, Texas • 23

C3 Austin American-Statesman SPORTS L0NGH0RNS MEN'S BASKETBALL NOTES Holes-in-one Ward shows great improvement, is 'shooting the ball with confidence' Bob Dilley, 7-iron, 147-tard 17th hole at Barton Creek Lakeside; witnesses: Jim La DOUG SMITH CENTRAL TEXAS GOLF Austin team reveals lineup for amateur match in San Antonio mar, Jim Kelly, Brad Kral Duke Hopkins Mike Peebles, 4-wood, 175-yard 8th hole at Forest Creek; witness: Oliver McCurry Calendar Today: Women's TexasGolf Association instead," Bradley acknowledged. Barnes visits Wooden Barnes went to visit John Wooden in Los Angeles on Tuesday, one day before the legendary coach's 99th birthday. "He's doing great," said Barnes, who had breakfast at Wooden's home. Barnes got to know Wooden in 2003, when Longhorn guard T.J. Ford won the Wooden Award as national player of the year.

Last season, Barnes was honored with the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching award, mrosnerstatesman.com; 445-3958 Colorado. Lucas date unsure Jai Lucas, the Longhorn guard who transferred from Florida in January, will be eligible to play after his first-semester final exams are completed. However, coach Rick Barnes is still not sure of the exact date. The North Carolina game on Dec.

19 in Arlington is the date most often cited, but Lucas hopes to return four days earlier against Texas-Pan American. Bradley's defense Freshman guard Avery Bradley's reputation for playing lock-down defense is well deserved, Barnes said. Senior Stroke Play Championship at White Wing (800-909-1969) Saturday: State Employees Golf Association individual net at Jimmy Clay (280-9226) Sunday: Austin Golf Association individual play at Jimmy Clay (wwvvlghinclub.com) Tuesday: Austin Seniorbolf Association individual net at Riversidl (www.austinsga. org) I Oct 23-25: The Bear Invitational at Cimarron Hills (763-1800) Oct 24: Central Texas (jolf Association four-player teams at Lions Municipal (797-0566 or www. centexgolf Jrg) Oct 24: First Tee of Grqater Austin Family GlowBall Tournament at the Harvey Penick Golf Campus (732-0380) Oct 27: Austin Senior Golf Association two-man select shot at Jilnmy Clay (www.

austinsga.org) Oct 28: Historical Marker celebration at Lions Municipal (476-6963) "He guards the basketball as well as anybody," Barnes said. Bradley's philosophy: "I'm gonna shut you down and take the ball." Barnes said Bradley must learn to stop reaching for the ball, which can result in fouls. "I have to move my feet i' Submit holes in one and calendar information FIRE FIGHTER WITNESS TO FALSE 082209 Sat 5pm Comal River Take Out Pt. Fire Fighter Description-White, 5'8 approx 25-35 Years, 165 lbs, brown hair, NEED YOUR HELP CALL: 512-589-1372 to Doug Smith via fax at 302-0084 of 445-3868 or e-mail at dsmith2786austinirr.com. Holes in one must be submitted by the appropriate golf course or organization.

ByMarkRosner AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF When the Longhorns begin playing basketball on Nov. 15 against Cal-Irvine, fans might not easily recognize one player. 4 That would be sophomore guard Varez Ward, probably the most improved player on the team. Friends of the program who watched offseason workouts that are closed to the public said so. And senior Damion James confirmed those reports Wednesday.

"Varez is really shooting the ball with confidence," James said two days before the official start of practice. Ward averaged just 2 points a game last season as a reserve, shooting 39 percent, but he scored a season-best 16 in the final game against Duke during a Longhorn loss in the NCAA tournament. Ward converted 7 of 8 shots in the game. James said the Duke game was a catalyst for Ward. "Ever since that Duke game, his confidence has skyrocketed," James said.

Ward has been working at shooting guard and point guard. Pittman slims down Senior center Dexter Pitt-man looks different as well, in his case much leaner and in better physical condition. The 6-foot-10-inch Pittman weighs in the 280- to 285-pound range after playing at 295 to 300 pounds last season. Pittman said he worked out harder and more often than ever. "Extreme," Pittman said.

"When guys went home during the summer, I was here." Kansas tops Big 12 poll Kansas, regarded as the No. 1 team in college basketball this season, was selected as best in the Big 12 in preseason poll of the league's coaches. The Longhorns, widely considered to be a top-five team nationally, finished second in the poll. The Jayhawks received 11 first-place votes, the other one going to the Longhorns. It may be the middle of football season, but there has been a lot of local golf going on, and there is a lot more coming up.

Here is a rundown on some items that we might have missed or you might not have noticed: Austin team finalized The Austin team of amateurs has been set for the Rudy's 1-35 Cup against San Antonio amateurs, which will be played Oct at the Dorninion Country Club in San Antonio. Billy Clagett will serve as playing captain for the 12-man Austin team, which also includes i Mark Baldree, Vince Brunssen, Robert Haney, Chris Hartenstein, T. Ross Henry, Josh Luon-go, Jaime Kellam, Steve Paterson, John Perez, Sheff Shell and Phil Thomas. Scott Matheson and Rob Ormand are alternates who also will play in the final day singles matches. George Hannon and Glenn Lee will serve as assistant captains in the Ryder-Cup-style matches.

The matches will be preceded by the Rivalry Before the Match, a competition between corporations from Austin and San Antonio Oct. 30 at San Antonio's historic Brackenridge Park Golf Course. Penick seniors results Duane Miller won the mid-amateur division in last weekend's Harvey Penick Invitational at Austin Country Club, but we omitted the senior division in the final results of Monday's edition. Ricky Lutz of Oklahoma City shot 69-76 145 to win the senior title. John Grace of Fort Worth was second with a 71-79 150 total.

Austin's Jaime Beaman, one of the most popular players on the local circuit, tied for third at 153 with Mike Rice. Austin Amateur Championship The Austin Amateur Championship will be held Nov. 7-8 at Lakecliff Country Club. The top 50 players, based on points accumulated throughout the season, have been invited to the end-of-the-season championship. The last tournament that counted in the points standing was the Bluebonnet Cup, which was won by Steve Paterson for the second straight year.

The top 10 in the standings are: 1. Alex Ellis, 20537.5; 2. Matt Smith, 11832.5; 3. Nick Cristea, 10645.4; 4. Scott Roudebush, 9110.0; 5.

Steve Paterson, 8806.3; 6. Collin Mayer, 7426.7; 7. Robby Ormand, 7215.5; 8. Brenden Redfern, 7016.7; 9. Craig Cyr, 6750.0; and 10.

Gene Black, 5604.7. Nokes honored Westlake High School boys coach Callan New 2010 FORD F1 50 6aa Crew Cab mm COMtMMICS ft CflfBIM Pki E0ppsd (DRIVEx ffff: i-O'-iii DIFFERENCE MeSS.OOO. CmtmMM Omat Cqlppad Not Stripped. MSRP $30,155 CMrt Me. S3.107 Font Setting Pike S23.988 TT.

WC Picture tor Wtfitrrtton only. Nokes has been named a National Federation Coaches Association state coach of the year for boys golf. Nokes has been Westlake head coach since the 2002-03 season. His teams have advanced to the state championship six of his seven years on the job and won the 2009 state championship. Westlake beats Lake gravis The Westlake boys team defeated Lake Travis 1TA to 5V4 in their annual Ryder Cup-style matches played over three weeks in September at Flintrock Falls.

College roundup Texas men: The Longhorn men have finished second, third and fourth in three outings this fall. Cody Gribble, a freshman from Dallas, has one runner-up finish and finished third in another tournament. Texas women: The Longhorn women have finished eighth and 15th in two outings this fall. St. Edward's men: Ranked third in NCAA Division the Hilltopper men have finished second, third and eighth in three outings this St.

Edward's women: Sophomore Kir by Baker won medalist honors (73-71 144) in leading St. Ed's to the team title last week in the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Women's Championship in Duncan, Okla. The Hilltoppers women finished second in each of their other two tournaments this fall. EVERY 30 MINUTES LIVE, LOCAL, NEWS FOX RADIO NEWS 24 7 385 Coaches are not allowed to vote r7U nn i iv mmrrrm AUTO RACING- NOTES for their own teams. Oklahoma finished third, followed by Kansas State, Texas Oklahoma State, Missouri, Iowa State, Texas Tech, Baylor, Nebraska and NASCAR hall's 1st class raises some eyebrows PRO GOLF THIS WEEKEND'S TOURN.MENTS PGA Tour Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for.

Children Open Site: Las Vegas Schedule: Today-Sunday Course: TPC Summerlin (7,243 yards, par 71) Television: Golf (today-Sunday, 3-6 p.m., p.m.) Notes: The tournament is the second of five Fall Series events. Rickie Fowler, the 2008 college player of the year as a freshman at Oklahoma State, is making his first PGA Tour start as a professional. Jim Furyk, Anthony Kim, Hunter Mahan, Mark Calcavecchia, David Duval and Davis Love III are in the field. Champions Tour Administaff Small Business Classic Site: The Woodlands Schedule: Friday-Sunday Course: The Woodlands Country Club (7,003 yards, par 72) PGA European Tour Portugal Masters Site: Vilamoura, Portugal Schedule: Today-Sunday Course: Oceanico Victoria Golf Course (7,231 yards, par 72) Television: Golf (today-Sunday, 9 a.m.-noon) Associated Press duction ceremony. "That wouldn't have been my pick," he said.

A panel of 50 NASCAR executives, journalists, former participants and one combined fan vote each had a list of 25 nominees to consider, Petty said he made his own list and had Pearson as his top pick. "Anybody that won 105 races and didn't make the cut somebody ain't adding right," Petty said of Pearson. Pearson ranked second only to Petty's 200 victories on NASCAR's all-time win list. Pearson, Cale Yarborough and Bobby Allison were the three next-highest vote getters, but it was not revealed in what order. Massa on't race SAO PAULO Formula One driver Felipe Massa says he's fit to race again but won't compete in Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix out of fear of another accident.

The Ferrari driver said he has fully recovered from his near-fatal crash in qualifying for the Hungarian GP in July but won't risk another accident in the final two races of the season. ASSOCIATED PRESS CHARLOTTE, N.C. NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. headlined the five inductees into the first HaU of Fame class, a group that drew mixed reactions to the inclusion of France's son instead of driver David Pearson. France, who formed the National Association of Stock Car Racing in 1947, was the first inductee announced Wednesday.

Richard Petty, the seven-time Cup champion and NAS-CAR's all-time wins leader, was the second inductee revealed by current NASCAR chairman Brian France. Next up was Bill France son of the NASCAR founder who spent nearly 30 years at its helm. "When I seen the two Frances was in, I knew I didn't have a chance," Pearson said. The final two nods went to Dale Earnhardt, NASCAR's other seven-time champion, and Junior Johnson, a former driver and car owner whose days of running moonshine stand as a symbol of NASCAR's start After the voting, Petty was told who had been selected with him for next May's in 1 Higher I ill 't-fc fMByaa Resistol Stetson 'J lk3tfAvftjr3l FELT HATS 15 off Larry Mahan I Long Sleeve 1 TiilllliH ll llnTlifl. CmelGiri Lad.es' Jeans Entire Selection Of ka Buv 1 Get 1 tV" 1 Selected Slim Relaxed Fits id CC I C.V i (1 Si.

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