Lonny Baxter

Lonny Baxter's life changed dramatically in the summer of 2006. Four years removed from helping Maryland win the national championship, Baxter's short-lived NBA career was already in jeopardy after he was released by the Houston Rockets - his fourth team in as many years - when the 2006 season ended. Baxter had been invited to play summer league with the Charlotte Bobcats, but was arrested after firing a shot from his Glock pistol while driving near the White House. He was placed on probation, but another gun charge the following summer landed Baxter in D.C. Jail for a 60-day sentence.

Lonny Baxter's life changed dramatically in the summer of 2006. Four years removed from helping Maryland win the national championship, Baxter's short-lived NBA career was already in jeopardy after he was released by the Houston Rockets - his fourth team in as many years - when the 2006 season ended. Baxter had been invited to play summer league with the Charlotte Bobcats, but was arrested after firing a shot from his Glock pistol while driving near the White House. He was placed on probation, but another gun charge the following summer landed Baxter in D.C. Jail for a 60-day sentence.

ATLANTA - Gary Williams has never had an easy time saying goodbye to his seniors. He usually cries after giving them a final sendoff at Maryland's annual men's basketball postseason banquet, and count on Williams to let the tears flow when that time comes next month. After all, look where the older guys have taken the old coach. As the Terrapins prepare for their second straight splash in the NCAA tournament's Final Four, beginning with tomorrow night's semifinal date with Kansas, they are fortified by a veteran squad led by a senior class that Williams has called the best ever to grace the university.

THIS WAS the messiest divorce the Maryland basketball program has experienced since Gary Williams arrived on campus. No counseling, no trial separation, just a ragged, contentious split. John Gilchrist wanted out, and nobody ran to block the door - in fact, it appears, people were lining up to hold it open for him. The fairy tale authored by Gilchrist and the Terps in the 2004 Atlantic Coast Conference tournament should have had a happier ending. Then again, from the looks of things, it had exactly the ending it should have had, with bridges in full flame.

COLLEGE PARK -- At the start of a crucial year in his basketball development, Maryland's accidental center faced some weighty issues.When Lonny Baxter showed up at Hargrave Military Academy in a remote part of southwestern Virginia in the summer of 1997, he packed a variety of post-up moves and 276 pounds. He carried too much for his 6-foot-8 frame, and not enough in the weight room."Lonny wanted to get up and down the court, but he was carrying an extra 30-40 pounds," Hargrave coach Scott Shepherd said.

WASHINGTON - It was perhaps fitting that in his first game for the Washington Wizards, Lonny Baxter, the square peg who has never fit perfectly in any round NBA hole, had trouble fitting into the oversized shorts the team gave him. Of course, pouring his 6-foot-8, 260-pound frame into anyone's uniform has been enough of a challenge for Baxter, now with his third team this season. The thinking around the NBA has been that the former University of Maryland standout is too small to play center but not quite quick enough to play power forward.

Moves Auto racing NASCAR: Fined Dale Earnhardt Jr. $10,000 and docked him 25 championship points for using vulgarity during televised interview after Sunday's race. Baseball PHILLIES: Promoted John Vukovich, third base coach, to special assistant to general manager. Announced Milt Thompson, first base coach; Gary Varsho, bench coach; Ramon Henderson, bullpen coach, and Mick Billmeyer, major league catching instructor, will be retained for 2005 season. Renewed player development contract with Double-A Reading through 2008 season.

Indiana did not score in the first three minutes of the half, but got back in the game as Maryland could not improve its ragged offensive play. Held without a shot in the last 10 minutes of the first half, Juan Dixon forced a jump shot to start the second. Lonny Baxter's power move extended the Terps lead to 37-30, but Indiana went on a 10-3 spurt to force a tie at 40 with 11:50 remaining. The run included three-pointers by Dane Fife and Kyle Hornsby, and a shot in the lane by Jeff Newton and his put-back of the Hoosiers' first missed three of the half.

In the most ideal scenario, all four of his former players would have heard their names called on NBA draft night at Madison Square Garden. But University of Maryland men's basketball coach Gary Williams gladly settled for the next-best thing. And it still marked the best draft he has ever enjoyed during 13 seasons in College Park, coming on the heels of the Terrapins' first-ever national championship. Sophomore power forward Chris Wilcox (Los Angeles Clippers), senior shooting guard Juan Dixon (Washington Wizards)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- When North Carolina State went out of its zone yesterday, Maryland's Lonny Baxter found his. Suffocated by the Wolfpack's 2-3 zone defense most of the game, Baxter found new freedom when N.C. State switched to man-to-man, scoring seven of the Terrapins' final nine points as Maryland escaped the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament semifinals with a 64-61 victory. "My team started calling plays for me," said Baxter, who had an active all-around game with 15 points, six rebounds, four blocks and three steals.

Moves Baseball HUTCH AWARD: Honor for courage and dedication to baseball was given to Padres P Trevor Hoffman. CUBS: Re-signed OF Todd Hollandsworth to one-year, $900,000 contract, avoiding salary arbitration. GIANTS: Agreed to two-year, $13.25 million contract with free-agent OF Moises Alou, who had been with Cubs. REDS: Agreed to three-year, $25.5 million contract with P Eric Milton (Maryland), who had been with Phillies. Re-signed OF Jacob Cruz to minor league deal with invitation to spring training.

WASHINGTON - It was perhaps fitting that in his first game for the Washington Wizards, Lonny Baxter, the square peg who has never fit perfectly in any round NBA hole, had trouble fitting into the oversized shorts the team gave him. Of course, pouring his 6-foot-8, 260-pound frame into anyone's uniform has been enough of a challenge for Baxter, now with his third team this season. The thinking around the NBA has been that the former University of Maryland standout is too small to play center but not quite quick enough to play power forward.

Lonny Baxter Ht.: 6-8 Wt.: 260 No. 35 Senior, F-C Hometown: Silver Spring Mike Grinnon Ht.: 6-6 Wt.: 195 No. 21 Freshman, F Hometown: Oyster Bay, N.Y Chris Wilcox Ht.: 6-10 Wt.: 220 No. 54 Soph., F-C Hometown: Raleigh, N.C. Calvin McCall Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 200 No. 11 Junior, G Hometown: Miami Andre Collins Ht.: 5-9 Wt.: 180 No. 10 Freshman, G Hometown: Crisfield Drew Nicholas Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 160 No. 12 Junior, G Hometown: Hempstead, N.Y. Byron Mouton Ht.: 6-6 Wt.: 215 No. 1 Senior, G-F Hometown: Rayne, La. Ryan Randle Ht.: 6-9 Wt.: 260 No. 33 Junior, F-C Hometown: Duncanville, Texas Juan Dixon Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 164 No. 3 Senior, G Hometown: Baltimore Tahj Holden Ht.: 6-10 Wt.: 250 No. 45 Junior, F Hometown: Little Silver, N.J. Steve Blake Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 160 No. 25 Junior, G Hometown: Miami Earl Badu Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 160 No. 4 Senior, G Hometown: Baltimore Five things to watch Coaching matchup Which Williams will shine?