Associated Press
CHAPEL HILL ó With three underclassmen pondering a jump to the NBA, North Carolina is getting a late addition to its incoming recruiting class.
Justin Watts has signed a letter of intent to play for the Tar Heels. The Durham Jordan product averaged 24 points and nearly nine rebounds a game last season.
The signing gives the Tar Heels some insurance on the perimeter if point guard Ty Lawson, wing guard Wayne Ellington or swingman Danny Green stay in the NBA draft. They have declared themselves eligible, but they have not hired agents.
The 6-foot-3 Watts fills the scholarship vacated when Alex Stepheson decided he would transfer. He will join a recruiting class that includes big men Ed Davis and Tyler Zeller, and point guard Larry Drew.
INTERNATIONAL HOOPS
DAVIDSON ó Davidson coach Bob McKillop has been selected as the head coach of the United Statesí team that will compete in this summerís FIBA Americas under-18 championship.
McKillop will be assisted by Georgetownís John Thompson III and Virginia Commonwealth coach Anthony Grant. The competition will be held July 14-18 in Formosa, Argentina.
NFL
LAKE FOREST, Ill. ó Cedric Benson was back in Bears camp Wednesday working out with the first string weeks after he was arrested in Texas.
Benson was arrested on Lake Travis in Texas on suspicion of boating while under the influence and resisting arrest. He said neither charge is true.
iIt would be nice to have it gone and get it cleared up and over with, but you know, I donít really spend too much time thinking about it at all,î Benson said. iIím sticking to my story and the truth will come out, sometime, whether it be now or a year from now or whenever.î
Benson has a court date of June 30. He said he does not plan to file a civil rights lawsuit against the Lower Colorado River Authority police, although he has said officers used excessive force.
OLYMPICS
NINGBO, China ó The Olympic torch resumed its journey through China on Thursday after a three-day period of national mourning for victims of the countryís devastating earthquake.
NBA
LOS ANGELES ó Center Andrew Bynum underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Wednesday in New York, and the Los Angeles Lakers said they expect him to make a full recovery by the start of training camp next fall.
The 30-minute procedure, performed by Dr. David Altchek, consisted of removing some cartilage debris and smoothing some rough spots on the underside of Bynumís left kneecap, the team said.
STEROIDS
SAN FRANCISCO ó An admitted steroids dealer testified Wednesday that he set up Marion Jones with a three-drug cocktail of banned substances to boost her bid to win five medals at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
Angel iMemoî Heredia said track coach Trevor Graham ask him to overnight mail the oxygen-boosting EPO, growth hormone and insulin for Jonesí use. Graham is on trial after pleading not guilty to three charges of lying to federal agents about his relationship with Heredia.
ACC BASEBALL
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. ó Georgia Tech scored two runs in the top of the ninth on three consecutive North Carolina State errors to beat the Wolfpack 10-9 on Wednesday in the opening game of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament.
Under the two-bracket, round-robin format, the fifth-seeded Yellow Jackets (39-17) will face top-seeded Miami today, and the No. 4 Wolfpack (37-19) will play No. 8 Clemson. Florida State will play sixth-seeded Virginia Friday at 5 p.m. on Friday in a Division B round-robin game. Wake Forest meets third-seeded North Carolina at 8 p.m.
Each team plays three games. The team with the best record in each division meets Sunday at 1 p.m. in the championship games.
In other games Wednesday, Florida State beat Wake Forest 8-3 and Miami beat Clemson 7-1.
A pair of home runs by Buster Posey lifted Florida State. Posey, the conferenceís leader in batting average, RBI and runs scored, tied Miamiís Yonder Alonso for the ACC lead with 19 home runs.
In Miamiís victory, Mark Sobolewski doubled home two runs in the first inning to give starting pitcher Chris Hernandez all the run support he would need.