RUMFORD, R.I. — Dave Gavitt, one of basketball’s most influential leaders the last three decades, has died. He was 73.
His death late Friday night after a long illness was confirmed by his family Saturday. He died in a hospital near his hometown of Rumford.
Gavitt was a member of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame and the first commissioner of the Big East Conference. He led Providence to the Final Four in 1973 and started the Big East offices there in 1979.
He was selected to coach the U.S. Olympic team in 1980, but the United States boycotted the Moscow Games. Gavitt was president of USA Basketball and oversaw the introduction of NBA players onto the U.S. Olympic roster, including the Dream Team at the 1992 Games.
Flames’ Iginla suffers back spasms
CALGARY, Alberta — Jarome Iginla‘s first skate of training camp lasted less than half an hour as the Calgary Flames’ captain left the ice because of back spasms.
“Unfortunately, after I’d started a little bit, I had a little bit of a spasm there,” Iginla said.
• Brad McCrimmon was remembered as an imposing physical presence and loving family man.
That’s the way Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock described the former assistant coach after McCrimmons’ funeral at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Farmington, Mich.
“When I think of Brad, what I think about is a man who had a love affair with his dad, his brother and his son, and of course his wife,” Babcock said.
The 52-year-old McCrimmon died in the airplane crash in Russia that took the lives of 28 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl players, two coaches and seven other staff members Sept. 7.
Thompson leads Navistar
PRATTVILLE, Ala. — Teenager Lexi Thompson shot a 5-under-par 67 in the Navistar LPGA Classic.
Thompson is at 15-under 201 and has a five-stroke lead heading into today’s final round. South Korea’s Meena Lee is second, and Tiffany Joh, Karen Stupples and Becky Morgan are tied for third at 8-under 208.
• Michael Allen shot a 4-under 68 to open a one-stroke lead over fellow Americans John Cook and Jay Don Blake after two rounds of the Songdo IBD Championship in Incheon, South Korea.
Footnotes.
Oakland Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski was charged with assaulting a woman a year ago in Walnut Creek, Calif., the Contra Costa Times reported. The woman said the 33-year-old player used force against her Sept. 24, 2010, but she did not report the incident at the time. Janikowski was charged with misdemeanor battery and false imprisonment.
• The Seattle Seahawks placed defensive end Dexter Davis on injured reserve and re-signed cornerback Kennard Cox.
• Dominic Oduro scored in the 85th minute to give the short-handed Chicago Fire a 3-2 MLS win against Chivas USA in Bridgeview, Ill.
In other MLS play, the host Philadelphia Union beat the Columbus Crew 1-0. The Associated Press
