Labradford

EMMITSBURG -- For the second time in three weeks, LaBradford Smith, the Washington Bullets' No. 1 draft choice from Louisville, has agreed to contract terms. Only this time, it should be official, including a new weight clause imposed by general manager John Nash, who said he will complete the deal tomorrow.The muscular 6-foot-3 guard originally signed a four-year deal with the Bullets worth $3.36 million on Sept. 19. But this agreement was voided by Nash when he discovered that Smith had suffered an ankle injury in a Houston pickup game and was not informed by the rookie's agents, attorney James Bryant of Oklahoma City and Tony Dott of Houston.

The first words out of BayRunners coach Terry Truax's mouth in his post-game news conference were, "Wow, what a way to end it." That was followed by the type of crooked smile that follows a facetious remark because he knew the BayRunners did nothing to wow the 6,120 fans at Baltimore Arena. So the 98-86 season-ending loss to the Trenton Stars was like the inaugural game: a disappointing defeat at home to a team that is going where the BayRunners are not -- to the International Basketball League playoffs.

Opponent: Las Vegas Silver BanditsSite: Baltimore ArenaTime: 7Outlook: The BayRunners will be without leading scoring Rodney Elliott, out at least a week with a sprained ankle, joining LaBradford Smith on the injured list. The team signed Lonnie Harrell from Northeastern University and Charles Thomas from Eastern Michigan to replace the two. Las Vegas' J.R. Henderson is third in the league in scoring, averaging 21.8 points. Former Dunbar standout Ernest Hall is averaging 6.5 points a game for the Bandits.

SAN DIEGO -- In the past, the San Diego Stingrays have been the perfect get-well opponent for the BayRunners. That trend ended last night as the Stingrays held off Baltimore, 107-99, in front of 1,104 fans at the Sports Arena. Baltimore's losing streak reached five, and the BayRunners continued winless on the road since a victory here last month. "San Diego didn't play like an 8-32 team tonight," Baltimore coach Terry Truax said. "Obviously, we showed that we can't take any team for granted."

Auto racingMcLaren Formula One Team -- Confirmed that Mika Hakkinen of Finland will replace Michael Andretti of the United States as one of its two principal drivers for 1994.BaseballCincinnati Reds -- Named Mike Griffin pitching coach. Named Jim Thrift coach at Triple-A Indianapolis. Named John Young trainer at Indianapolis.BasketballUtah Jazz -- Suspended C Luther Wright for one game for violating a team rule.Washington Bullets -- Waived G LaBradford Smith. Activated C Pervis Ellison from the injured list.

Tremaine Fowlkes had 26 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Cincinnati Stuff over the BayRunners, 105-93, in an International Basketball League game yesterday at the Firstar Center in Cincinnati.Chris Kingsbury sank two three-pointers to initiate a 17-3 fourth-quarter run that put the game away for Cincinnati. The BayRunners (4-9) had fought back to tie the score at 76.It marked the BayRunners' third loss in 11 days to the league-leading Stuff (10-1).The BayRunners' Steve Goodrich scored a team-high 21 points.

When Washington Bullets assistant coach Jeff Bzdelik was asked recently to give a progress report on guard LaBradford Smith, a 1991 first-round draft pick, he responded with a quotation from President Calvin Coolidge."

NEW YORK -- The Washington Bullets, who already have lost all five of their starters to injury for at least several games this season, received more discouraging news yesterday, when general manager John Nash estimated that neither Bernard King nor Mark Alarie would return to action until after the All-Star Game Feb. 9.King and Alarie started the season on the injured list after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery last September. The two veteran forwards have experienced pain when trying to run, delaying their rehabilitation.

LANDOVER -- Greg Foster's fragile two-year relationship with coach Wes Unseld and the Washington Bullets ended yesterday when the 6-foot-11 reserve center was waived to make room on the roster for guard Rex Chapman, coming off the injured list.General manager John Nash said he tried unsuccessfully to trade Foster for a draft pick and will now have to pay him the remainder of his $435,000 contract this season."Waiving a player is always tough, and this time is no different," Nash said. "But the quality of play of [rookie]

Washington Bullets coach Wes Unseld held a private workout in San Antonio yesterday morning to determine whether rookie guard LaBradford Smith was ready to come off the injured list.But Smith was still favoring the left ankle that he first sprained in a pickup game in Houston in late September before he was due to report to training camp.Because the injury has taken so long to respond to rest and therapy, the Bullets will have their No. 1 draft choice examined today by Rudy Ellis, the team doctor at the University of Louisville, which Smith attended.

RICHMOND, Va. -- Take away the second quarter and the BayRunners played fairly well last night against the Richmond Rhythm. The BayRunners' poor performance in the second quarter, though, was enough to ensure Richmond a 95-80 victory before 1,104 at Richmond Coliseum. The BayRunners hit three of 13 field-goal tries in the second period and committed 10 turnovers en route to falling to the team that is chasing them for the final playoff spot in the International Basketball League's East Conference.

Tremaine Fowlkes had 26 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Cincinnati Stuff over the BayRunners, 105-93, in an International Basketball League game yesterday at the Firstar Center in Cincinnati.Chris Kingsbury sank two three-pointers to initiate a 17-3 fourth-quarter run that put the game away for Cincinnati. The BayRunners (4-9) had fought back to tie the score at 76.It marked the BayRunners' third loss in 11 days to the league-leading Stuff (10-1).The BayRunners' Steve Goodrich scored a team-high 21 points.

Opponent: Las Vegas Silver BanditsSite: Baltimore ArenaTime: 7Outlook: The BayRunners will be without leading scoring Rodney Elliott, out at least a week with a sprained ankle, joining LaBradford Smith on the injured list. The team signed Lonnie Harrell from Northeastern University and Charles Thomas from Eastern Michigan to replace the two. Las Vegas' J.R. Henderson is third in the league in scoring, averaging 21.8 points. Former Dunbar standout Ernest Hall is averaging 6.5 points a game for the Bandits.

BayRunners coach Herb Brown said signing former Washington Bullets No. 1 pick LaBradford Smith could turn out to be "the steal of the year."The BayRunners announced the acquisition of Smith and University of Maryland standout Rodney Elliott yesterday. The two become the eighth and ninth members of the team.Smith returns to the United States after playing in Europe the past three seasons. The Bullets took Smith -- 6 feet 4, 202 pounds -- as the 19th overall pick in the 1991 draft."He exudes class.

Auto racingMcLaren Formula One Team -- Confirmed that Mika Hakkinen of Finland will replace Michael Andretti of the United States as one of its two principal drivers for 1994.BaseballCincinnati Reds -- Named Mike Griffin pitching coach. Named Jim Thrift coach at Triple-A Indianapolis. Named John Young trainer at Indianapolis.BasketballUtah Jazz -- Suspended C Luther Wright for one game for violating a team rule.Washington Bullets -- Waived G LaBradford Smith. Activated C Pervis Ellison from the injured list.

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W. Va. -- If there was any question about the potential of the Washington Bullets' shooting guards last season, look no further than a pair of 37-point efforts from that position last season.In December, Rex Chapman did little wrong in scoring 37 points against Cleveland. And in March, LaBradford Smith scored a career-high 37 points against the Chicago Bulls at the expense of an embarrassed Michael Jordan.But what coach Wes Unseld got in flashes, he didn't get in season-long consistency from Chapman and Smith at a position vital to a team's success.

LANDOVER -- Washington Bullets coach Wes Unseld figures he knows a few things about being in Louisville. After all, he grew up there and was an All-American center at the local university.So, Unseld cast a skeptical glance at the team's attempts to draw on the commonality shared among him, Bullets center and former Cardinal Pervis Ellison and new first-round draft choice LaBradford Smith by calling them "Louisville Sluggers.""I'm the only one who's from Louisville, but I know who's going to be slugging," said Unseld.

Forward Tom Gugliotta, the Washington Bullets' 1992 lottery pick, still is leaning toward playing in Europe this winter, but the team yesterday came to terms with Oklahoma guard Brent Price, its second-round selection.The reported three-year contract is expected to be signed today, but Bullets general manager John Nash would not disclose terms of the agreement reached with Price's agent, Richard Howell, of Atlanta, who also represents Gugliotta.Howell, who was seeking a three-year pact worth more than $900,000, said, "We're very pleased with Brent's contract, and we're certain he'll prove a valuable addition to the Bullets."

When Washington Bullets assistant coach Jeff Bzdelik was asked recently to give a progress report on guard LaBradford Smith, a 1991 first-round draft pick, he responded with a quotation from President Calvin Coolidge."

LANDOVER -- Embarrassed by having second-year guard LaBradford Smith burn him for 37 points the previous night in Chicago, Michael Jordan turned last night's rematch with Smith and the Washington Bullets at the Capital Centre into a personal vendetta.Matching his most electrifying performances, the Bulls superstar hit his first eight shots on the way to scoring 36 points in the first half. He added 13 more in the third quarter and then retired for the night as the Bulls breezed to a 126-101 victory before a sellout crowd of 18,756.