Bickerstaff

A team of students from the Western School of Technology and Environmental Science topped 20 teams from 13 other Baltimore County high schools to win the 19th annual Baltimore County Envirothon April 14 at Days Cove Environmental Center in White Marsh. With the victory, the team of Sagar Bajpai, Minhaz Mahmud, Osman Ulug, Samrath Oberoi, Jessica Macer and Ellie Cayford, led by teachers Kim Bickerstaff and Mark Katner, qualified for the state Envirothon competition June 15-16 at St. Mary's College in St. Mary's City.

BOWIE -- Two teams. Indianapolis. Loud crowd. Crucial game.No, it's not the NCAA championship, played last night at the RCA Dome. This is the other big game in Indianapolis this week, to be played tonight when the Washington Bullets try to strengthen their playoff positioning against the Indiana Pacers.Most of the talk among the Bullets (36-35) the past two weeks has been about the pursuit of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who at 37-34 hold the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

LANDOVER -- Although the players wouldn't say so, last night's game against the Indiana Pacers was a make-or-break moment for the Washington Bullets.Just before the team took the floor, Juwan Howard offered advice to his teammates."

The Charlotte Bobcats on Friday received the official list of players who will be available to them in the NBA expansion draft on June 22 or 23, and the Times has learned that the Washington Wizards left Jerry Stackhouse exposed with three years and $22.5 million remaining on his contract. One Western Conference team executive said that the Dallas Mavericks left Antoine Walker and his $14.6 million contract unprotected. According to other NBA sources, the New York Knicks' Allan Houston and the New Jersey Nets' Alonzo Mourning were also available.

WASHINGTON -- The Washington Wizards religiously slappedrosin on their hands before taking the floor last night, but it would not be necessary.During its 106-86 conquest of Charlotte, Washington built a 26-point first-half lead that would be less slippery than the late three-point lead it gave away during a loss to the same team nine days before.Chris Webber had 24 points and a season-high 19 rebounds, and Juwan Howard added 26 points as the Wizards extended their MCI Center win streak to seven games, and ended the Hornets' five-game winning streak.

BaseballDevil Rays: Placed P Jim Mecir on 15-day DL. Optioned P Eddie Gaillard to Triple-A Durham. Recalled P Alan Newman from Durham.Mets: Optioned OF Terrence Long to Triple-A Norfolk.Rochester (Triple-A): Assigned P Jason Rogers to Double-A Bowie.BasketballMystics (WNBA): Named Jenny Boucek assistant coach.Harlem Globetrotters: Named Bernie Bickerstaff, former NBA Wizards coach, executive in charge of basketball.CollegesCoppin State: Announced resignation of Tiffany Green, women's basketball assistant coach.

A year ago, they made the playoffs on the final day of the season, and then battled the Chicago Bulls in a first-round matchup that was more difficult than the three-game sweep might have indicated. Michael Jordan himself showered the team with praise, and this season the Washington Wizards were expected to excel.Yet the only thing the Wizards excelled at this season was being inconsistent, a label that's hard to dispute for a team that defeated every divisional leader -- and yet lost to the likes of the Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers in must-win situations.

LANDOVER -- They will return next season with a new name, new uniforms and a new arena, but the Bullets already are reborn.Yes, they blew a nine-point lead in the final four minutes last night. Yes, they got knocked out of the playoffs in three games. Yes, their season is over.But that wasn't just any team they kept challenging in the fourth quarter -- it was the four-time champion Chicago Bulls.And that wasn't just any player who kept breaking their hearts -- it was the one and only Michael Jordan.

LANDOVER -- The final NBA game to be played at the US Airways Arena was shaping up to be a night of celebration. The Washington Wizards built a 17-point, first-half lead, and the defending NBA champion Chicago Bulls looked exactly like the struggling team that they've become.But by the time the multicolored balloons and confetti were released from the rafters at game's end, there was little to celebrate. In fact, to hear players talk after the Wizards' 88-83 loss, a real celebration would have taken place had the organization imploded the structure after the team dropped to 0-5 at the arena for the season.

BOWIE -- The Washington Bullets' Tim Legler was so happy to be back on the court that he didn't give much thought to how he would be received by fans after nine months away from the game. The loud ovation when he checked into Tuesday night's game against the New York Knicks caught him slightly off guard."It felt great, I felt that everybody appreciated that I helped this team last year, and they were anxious for me to come back," Legler said yesterday after the team's practice at Bowie State.