SAN DIEGO — A former University of San Diego star basketball player, another former player and a former assistant coach were charged with running a sports betting business to affect the outcome of games, federal authorities said Monday.
The indictment names Brandon Johnson, the school’s all-time leading scorer who finished his college career last year; Thaddeus Brown, an assistant coach at the school in the 2006-07 season; and Brandon Dowdy, who played at San Diego in the 2006-07 season and at UC Riverside from 2008-10. Seven other people also were charged.
Authorities did not say how the alleged scheme worked and said they were trying to determine its scope, including the number of games allegedly involved.
The 10 people are charged with conspiracy to commit sports bribery, conduct an illegal gambling business and distribute marijuana. If convicted, they each face up to five years in prison and $250,000 fines.
• Connecticut junior guard Kemba Walker is expected to announce today he will enter the NBA draft.
• Baylor freshman standout Perry Jones said he is returning to the Bears for his sophomore season, even though he will have to sit out the first five games because of a suspension. He likely would have been one of the top picks in the NBA draft this summer.
• Manhattan College hired Louisville assistant Steve Masiello as its basketball coach. He replaces Barry Rohrssen, who was fired after the Jaspers went 6-25 and were 59-85 overall in his five seasons.
• University of Miami officials flew to Boston to lure coach Tommy Amaker — and his professor wife — away from Harvard.
Wild fires coach Richards
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild fired Todd Richards after the team missed the playoffs in each of his two seasons and for a third straight season overall. Richards, 44, went 77-71-16 in two seasons.
• The NHL announced four games next season in Berlin, Stockholm and Helsinki.
The Anaheim Ducks and Buffalo Sabres will play Oct. 7 in Helsinki. The New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings meet in Stockholm. The Sabres and Kings will play the following day in Berlin, with the Rangers taking on the Ducks in Stockholm. It marks the fifth consecutive season the NHL will play regular-season games in Europe.
Footnotes.
The final round of the Masters drew its second-highest preliminary television rating in 10 years. CBS said the average overnight rating was a 10.4 with a 22 share, up 18 percent from 2009. Last year was a 12. 0/25.
• Iowa offensive lineman Dan Heiar was hospitalized with undisclosed injuries after being involved in a single-car accident over the weekend.
• The U.S. Olympic Committee extended its sponsorship deal with Nike, meaning American athletes will wear the swoosh on the medal stand through the 2016 Olympics.
• The leader of the California state Senate introduced a bill that would require the owners of the Sacramento Kings to repay a $77 million loan to the city of Sacramento before they can move the team to Anaheim.
The Associated Press
