LOCAL

LOCAL
Rayen freshmanbasketball tourney
YOUNGSTOWN -- Wilson defeated Chaney 51-37 Thursday in the opening game of the Rayen freshman boys basketball tournament.
Luiz Charriez scored 18 points and 18 steals for Wilson. Lamar McQueen added 12 points and Derrick Platter scored 10.
E. Preston had 11 points for Chaney and B. Jones scored 10.
The tournament resumes Saturday with the following schedule: Ursuline vs. Wilson, 10:30 a.m.; Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary vs. Boardman, Noon; Warren Harding vs. Canton Timken, 4:30 p.m., and Mooney vs. Rayen, 6 p.m.
Tickets are $3 for adults and $2 for students.
Abby Moose isplayer of the week
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- Grove City College senior guard Abby Moose was named Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Southern Region women's basketball player of the week.
Moose averaged 24 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.5 steals in two wins.
Drahos on nationalteam of the week
BETHANY, W.Va. -- Bethany's Matt Drahos was named to the D3hoops.com national team of the week for his efforts in two wins.
The junior averaged 28.5 points and 16.5 rebounds in the wins against Thiel and Lake Erie.
Corrections
*D.J. Haurin scored one goal, and Pat Anderson scored an unassisted goal in Canfield's High 5-3 win over CVCA in the OHSAA hockey tournament on Monday.
*Brittany Silak was mis-identified in Thursday's story about Boardman High's girls basketball victory over North Canton Hoover.
*Aniqua Donlow had 11 points and 24 rebounds for Wilson High in a recent game against Southern. Her name was omitted from the story.
Pavlik in main event
LAS VEGAS -- Cameron Dunkin, the co-manager and agent for Youngstown's Kelly Pavlik, announced that Pavlik, ranked among the top 10 in the top three world organizations as a middleweight, will be in the main event of a seven-bout card at the Silver Star Casino in Philadelphia, Miss., March 4, as part of Showtime's boxing series.
Pavlik (23-0, 20 knockouts), will be in a featured 10-rounder against Dorian Beaupierre (12-2-2, 6 KOs).
Beaupierre, nicknamed "Quiet Storm" comes from the Dominican Republic and fights out of Rahway, N. J. He is managed by Andre Kut and trained by Johnny Persol and was decisioned by Pavlik as an amateur in 2000.
"I have been ready for this fight or any like it for a long time," said Pavlik. "I feel as good as I can be expected, aside from my hand which has pain come and go."
New Southern coach
SALINEVILLE -- Southern Local High has hired Alex Albert as varsity football coach.
Albert previously was head coach at Minerva High School.
REGION
OSU investigatingmore allegations
COLUMBUS -- Ohio State is investigating allegations that a booster provided free dental work to members of the women's basketball team, athletic director Andy Geiger said Thursday night.
Geiger said no current members of the second-ranked Buckeyes are in danger of being declared ineligible, and that an investigation was underway into whether NCAA rules were violated.
An orthodontist may have done work on players but failed to bill their insurance companies, Geiger said. He would not specify when the alleged infraction took place or how many players were involved.
NATION
Miller to retire
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers will retire at the end of this season, his sister, Cheryl, reported Thursday night on TNT.
"Over the last couple of weeks there has been a lot of speculation on whether or not this will be Reggie Miller's last season," Miller said. "Yesterday I spoke to Reggie, and after 18 seasons with the Indiana Pacers, this will definitely be his last season."
Miller, 39, has been one of the league's best outside shooters during a career that has included five All-Star appearances, 131 playoff games and a trip to the NBA Finals.
Astros sign Oswaltto $16.9 million deal
HOUSTON -- Right-hander Roy Oswalt and the Houston Astros avoided arbitration by agreeing Thursday to a two-year, $16.9 million contract.
Oswalt, who had a hearing date next week, had asked for a raise from $3,425,000 to $7.8 million and was offered $6 million by the Astros. He won career-high 20 games last season.
"Roy established himself as one of the best pitchers in the game in 2004," Astros general manager Tim Purpura. "He has been a vital part of our success on the mound for the last four years, and we look forward to his continued success in an Astros uniform."
Oswalt went 20-10 with a 3.49 ERA last season. He was the eighth Astros pitcher to win 20 in a season and had two shutouts. He also struck out 206 batters.
In four seasons with Houston, Oswalt is 63-27 with a 3.11 ERA in 120 games.
Agassi advances
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- When Andre Agassi started running Kenneth Carlsen from corner to corner, deep and short, he quickly took control.
Agassi overcame a slow start to defeat Kenneth Carlsen 7-5, 6-1 on Thursday night to reach the quarterfinals of the SAP Open for the 12th time in 13 appearances at this event.
Earlier Thursday, Cyril Saulnier used 19 aces to beat qualifier Tomas Zib 6-1, 7-6 (3) and advance to the quarterfinals.
Saulnier hit three consecutive aces to end the first set, and ended four games in the second set with aces to reach the quarterfinals for the second straight year. He'll face fourth-seeded Vincent Spadea.
In other second-round matches, No. 7 Jurgen Melzer defeated Xavier Malisse, 6-3, 6-3; No. 8 Max Mirnyi beat Kevin Kim, 6-1, 7-5; and Thomas Enqvist topped Robby Ginepri 6-3, 7-6 (1).
Mirnyi, who has reached the semifinals in two tournaments this season, recorded seven aces and saved six break points.
USC names 2 coaches
LOS ANGELES -- Southern California coach Pete Carroll has named two assistants to take over the duties of departed offensive coordinator Norm Chow, splitting the job between assistant head coach Steve Sarkisian and new offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin.
Sarkisian will be in charge of the offense, while Kiffin will handle most of the play calling from the booth for two-time defending national champion USC.
Vindicator staff/wire reports