Sports briefs for October 2, 2003

Thursday, Oct. 2, 2003 | 11:04 a.m.

Garnett convinced, re-ups in Minnesota

The Minnesota Timberwolves and star forward Kevin Garnett reached agreement on a five-year contract extension Wednesday after convincing Garnett that the team's off-season player acquisitions have given him a chance to finally win a postseason series.

"I'm really, really, really enthused," Garnett said at Target Center, where the Wolves begin the regular season Oct. 29 with the highest expectations in the franchise's 15 years.

That's because Latrell Sprewell, Sam Cassell and Michael Olowokandi, among others, are in place. A flurry of summer activity appears to have enhanced Minnesota's roster more than any other club in the ultra-competitive Western Conference.

"We think we've done some really neat things," said owner Glen Taylor, whose bottom line will take a significant hit this year with a payroll or more than $70 million, one of the NBA's highest.

Garnett will make an NBA-high $28 million this season.

Wranglers sign two

Defensemen Jason and Mike McBain, brothers with a combined 73 games of National Hockey League experience, signed contracts and became the first members of the Las Vegas Wranglers. Jason, 29, played in Las Vegas for the Thunder in 1998-99.

Pitt players testify

Teammates of a Pitt football player who fell to his death at a church testified Wednesday that a Roman Catholic priest gave them alcohol and boasted that he could match them drink for drink. Allegheny County prosecutors called five new witnesses to testify during a hearing to determine whether an involuntary manslaughter charge should be reinstated against Rev. Henry Krawczyk in the death June 18 of receiver Billy Gaines.

Ford dumps Blaney

Ford Racing terminated its contract with Jasper Motorsports and said it was repossessing all equipment from the No. 77 team after driver Dave Blaney drove a Dodge Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway.

Anderson invited

Former UNLV standout Jeremy Anderson receiving a sponsor's exemption to compete next week in the Las Vegas Invitational.