Sports briefs for August 26, 2005

Friday, Aug. 26, 2005 | 10:54 a.m.

Cincinnati picks Huggins' replacement

The University of Cincinnati today hired Andy Kennedy as its interim basketball coach, two days after forcing Bob Huggins out of hte job.

Kennedy had been Huggins' top assistant and recruiting coordinator the past four years. Before that he spent five seasons as an assistant at UAB, where he is the school's No. 2 career scorer.

Kennedy, 37, said he was grateful for the opportunity and that he had Huggins' blessing.

"This has been a very difficult time for men's basketball at the University of Cincinnati," he said. "I have been given the charge to move this program forward, to put the focus back on our student-athletes."

Huggins quit Wednesday, a day after the school said he would be fired if he didn't resign. He agreed to a $3 million buyout.

Judge orders Gooden to be kept in jail

Dwight Gooden will be jailed without bail until an October hearing, a judge in Tampa, Fla., ruled today, three days after Gooden fled police during a DUI traffic story.

Dressed in an orange jail outfit and shackled at the wrists and ankles, Gooden looked Gaunt as he appeared in court this morning. He didn't speak during the brief hearing except to acknowledge the judge's questions.

State Circuit Judge Nick Nazaretian approved an agreement between both sides that will allow Gooden, a former star pitcher with the New York Mets and New York Yankees, to enter a secured substance-abuse treatment facility if a bed becomes available. Gooden also has a March domestic violence charge pending with the court.

Gooden's attorney, Peter Hobson, would not say Gooden had been or what he had been doing since driving away from the officer near downtown at about 2:40 a.m. EDT Monday.

Hawaii in U.S. final

At South Williamsport, Pa., Sheyne Baniaga homered onto the hill beyond the left-field wall and Kini Enos scattered five hits over five innings to help West Oahu of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, defeat Lafayette, La., 2-0 on Thursday and earn a berth in the U.S. championship game of the Little League World Series on Saturday against Bueno Vista, Calif.

In the other game Thursday, Christopher Garia allowed two hits and Willemstad, Curacao, scored 11 runs in the fifth inning to rout Mangilao-Barrigado, Guam, 16-1 to advance to the international championship game against Japan.

Davenport closes in

At New Haven, Conn., Lindsay Davenport escaped with a 6-2, 7-6 (5) victory against Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova to reach the Pilot Pen semifinals, putting her within one win of regaining the No. 1 ranking from Maria Sharapova.

Rison released in CFL

Former Pro Bowl receiver Andre Rison was released by the CFL's Toronto Argonauts on Thursday.

Rison revived his career last season with Toronto after a four-year layoff from the NFL.

Wranglers sign two

The Wranglers signed center Evan Schwabe, a rookie from the University of Minnesota-Dulute, and re-signed left winger Marco Peluso, who played 12 games for the Wranglers in 2004-05 and is a former UMD teammate of Schwabe. -- Sun wire services