Rockets

The NBA Rockets, who have quietly explored a move to Baltimore over the past year, plan to take some time to assess their future in Houston in light of a stinging rejection by voters of an arena financing plan, a team official said yesterday.The Rockets are among a handful of teams that have met with Baltimore leaders regarding a possible relocation to a proposed downtown arena, according to a source familiar with Baltimore's quest. Team representatives have visited Baltimore, which is considered a top prospect, the source said.

It was an ordeal that began nearly two months ago, when Steve Francis expressed his displeasure with being drafted by the Vancouver Grizzlies. Yesterday the episode came to an end, with Francis never having to put on the uniform of the team in the Canadian city that he appeared to despise.On the day that he canceled a news conference on a topic that he never revealed, Francis was traded yesterday to the Houston Rockets in a three-team, 11-player deal -- the largest trade in NBA history.When the deal was finally approved by the NBA last night, the Rockets had received Francis and Tony Massenburg from Vancouver and Don MacLean and a future first-round pick from Orlando.

WASHINGTON -- There was a little more interest in yesterday's game between the Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets than two 9-18 teams usually generate. Call it the ex-Terp factor.Some of Maryland's most celebrated recent basketball stars turned MCI Center into a reunion arena. An announced crowd of 14,191 showed up to watch the home team win, 103-92, and Steve Francis continue to dazzle.Francis didn't disappoint more than 200 family members and friends for whom he bought tickets, as well as his fans and even former coach Gary Williams, but the rookie point guard was left a bit dismayed by another loss.

Emily Stuard helped Liberty show visiting Richard Montgomery the importance of power in volleyball last night.Stuard dominated play at the net with nine kills and seven blocks, and Richard Montgomery could do little to stop her as Liberty needed only 55 minutes to score a 15-1, 15-12, 15-2 victory in the Class 3A West region final.This was the first region championship for Liberty (15-3) since 1991. The Lions advance to the Class 3A state semifinal Wednesday at 6 or 8 p.m. at Essex Community College against Northern-Calvert.

Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin Corp. and Boeing Co. will both build new rockets for the U.S. Air Force, as the service has discarded its plan to select just one producer.Col. Richard McKinney, director of the program known as the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle, said the U.S. Defense Department's civilian leadership has approved changing the program strategy.The EELV program was set up for the Air Force to be the primary customer, with rockets also being produced for commercial users. That has now been reversed.

LANDOVER -- Early in the day, Washington Bullets coach Jim Lynam found out there would be no Chris Webber. About 45 minutes before tip-off, he learned that Mark Price was a scratch as well. So the Bullets, limping toward the halfway point of the season, were about to face the defending NBA champion Houston Rockets with just nine healthy bodies."We were looking forward to having Chris," Lynam said. "I was concerned to the reaction of the team with Chris not being able to play."If only Lynam could always get such a reaction from the Bullets.

Phoenix Suns star forward Charles Barkley may be joining superstar center Hakeem Olajuwon in Houston.The New York Daily News reported yesterday that the Suns and Rockets have tentatively worked out a deal that would send Barkley and guard Elliot Perry to Houston in exchange for forward Robert Horry and former Dunbar star Sam Cassell.Barkley has been the subject of numerous trade offers. The Dallas Mavericks reportedly offered guard Jim Jackson and a first-round pick for Barkley. The New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers also have made trade offers to the Suns for Barkley.

ROCKVILLE -- Kate Thirolf of Richard Montgomery did not clean up the gymnasium after last night's game.But she did nearly everything else. Thirolf finished with 34 points, 18 rebounds and seven steals as Richard Montgomery rolled to a 76-53 victory over visiting South Carroll in a Class 3A West region playoff.Thirolf, a 5-foot-10 senior forward who's the school's all-time leading scorer and is headed to Princeton, dominated play from the opening moments.She started by scoring six points in the first 90 seconds.

It's 45 minutes to game time and Houston Rockets forward Charles Barkley is warming up in a most unconventional way. Unconventional in that while most everybody else playing is either dressed for that night's game -- or nearly dressed -- Barkley is still in street clothes, giving his weekly "state of the NBA" address.In the world according to Barkley, few are left unscathed:On the Los Angeles Lakers: "I know the Lakers can't beat us. They get up for the big teams, and lose to the [lousy] teams.

HOUSTON -- They hang as reminders in the bedroom of Robert Horry's home. They are framed jerseys from the Detroit Pistons, the team the Houston Rockets shipped Horry to last season after becoming dissatisfied with his lack of aggressive play."

LeBron James had 30 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, and the Cleveland Cavaliers won their ninth straight game, beating the host New Jersey Nets, 96-88, last night to tie a franchise record with their 57th victory. Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 18 points and became the career leader in blocked shots for the Cavaliers, who improved the NBA's best record to 57-13. Vince Carter had 25 points and nine rebounds, but without injured point guard Devin Harris the Nets (30-40) simply lacked the firepower to hang with the NBA's toughest defensive team.

While Yao Ming won the showdown with fellow Chinese Olympian Yi Jianlian, the smallest player on the court stole the show from the 7-footers. Yao had 24 points and 16 rebounds and 6-foot Aaron Brooks tied his career high with 22 points as the Houston Rockets won their season-high fourth straight game with a 114-91 win over the host New Jersey Nets last night in a game that was televised live to China. With Yao clogging the lane, the Rockets (19-9) limited the Nets (13-14) to a season-low 13 points in the first quarter in taking a 29-13 lead; they were never threatened again.

The Boston Celtics' Big 3 outplayed the Houston Rockets' trio of stars last night. Ray Allen scored 29 points, Kevin Garnett added 14 points and 11 rebounds, and the Celtics shut down Ron Artest and Yao Ming in a 103-99 victory over the host Rockets. Tracy McGrady scored 26 points for Houston. Mavericks 98, Spurs 81: : Dirk Nowitzki scored 30 points, Jason Terry added 29 in his first start of the season and Dallas' victory gave host San Antonio its first 0-3 record in 35 years. The Mavericks also received 14 points from Josh Howard.

After a late-night flurry of trading during the NBA draft, Donte Greene and Joey Dorsey, who both played at Baltimore-area high schools, ended up as teammates on the Houston Rockets. Greene, a 6-foot-10 forward with a silky jumper, was selected 28th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies. Dorsey, a rugged interior defender, went 33rd to the Portland Trail Blazers. The Rockets obtained both in a three-team swap that also involved first-round picks Darrell Arthur and Nicholas Batum. During an introductory news conference yesterday in Houston, Greene said his whole draft party erupted with cheers when Dorsey was picked just after him. "You feel lucky, not only to go somewhere where you have a chance to play but to have a familiar face around," said the former Towson Catholic player.

The Boston Celtics defeated Houston 94-74, last night, ending the host Rockets' 22-game winning streak. Kevin Garnett scored 22 points and Paul Pierce added 20 as the Celtics handed the Rockets their first loss since losing to the Utah Jazz on Jan. 27. Houston had put together the NBA's second-longest winning streak, but it ended 11 shy of the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers, who won 33 in a row. It was only Houston's second loss in 28 games and its fourth...

The Houston Rockets' 20th straight win was far from pretty, but coach Rick Adelman was still impressed with his team. The Rockets were held to their lowest first-half total of the season but pulled away late to become the third team in NBA history to win 20 consecutive games, tying for the league's second-longest winning streak with an 83-75 victory over the host Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night. "It may be the ugliest thing we've done, but it might have been the best one," Adelman said, "the way we fought through it."

Tracy McGrady scored 19 points in less than three quarters and the Houston Rockets routed the cold-shooting New Jersey Nets, 91-73, last night for their 19th straight win to match the third-longest winning streak in NBA history. Houston won by double digits for the 10th straight game, tying an NBA record last set by the Nets in 2004. The Rockets also won their 13th straight at the Toyota Center, the franchise's longest home-court streak since the 1985-86 team won 20 in a row at The Summit.

Moves Basketball ROCKETS -- Assigned G Steve Novak to Rio Grande (NBDL). High school JOHN CARROLL -- Announced that basketball C Jakub Kusmieruk made verbal commitment to Central Florida.

CHICAGO--His defending NBA championship team was a mess. His star center was out of the lineup and some doubted it would even make the playoffs amid such turmoil. Pat Riley can relate with his Miami Heat, who will play the Chicago Bulls tomorrow without Shaquille O'Neal. The Heat is a sub-.500 defending championship team. Rudy Tomjanovich can really relate. His 1994 champion Houston Rockets defended their title in 1995 in disarray, making a major trade and trying to overcome lengthy absences by starters Hakeem Olajuwon and Robert Horry, both of whom played little with midseason acquisition Clyde Drexler before the playoffs.

For years, cheerleading seemed more of a sideline activity at football and basketball games than a truly athletic endeavor. But times have changed. Over the past decade, cheering has become a competitive activity. Cheering, which combines the athleticism of gymnastics with the artistry and precision of a dance troupe, has plenty of help in growing in Anne Arundel County: Pasadena resident Billie Barber spends virtually all of her spare time on the activity. Barber is the director of Rockets X-treme All-Star Cheerleaders, a Glen Burnie-based organization that teaches and competes at various age groups and skill levels.