Steve Wojciechowski

NEW YORK -- He wasn't supposed to be in the starting lineup for Duke this season. Some didn't even expect Steve Wojciechowski to be in coach Mike Krzyzewski's regular backcourt rotation."

Steve Wojciechowski still looks like the pugnacious point guard who came out of Cardinal Gibbons nearly two decades ago and proved those wrong who said he wouldn't make an impact at Duke. He's spent the past 13 years as an assistant and now associate head coach wunder the legendary Mike Krzyzewski and the past six helping Krzyzewski's staff for the U.S. Olympic team. In describing his role with the national team, Wojciechowski said he, fellow Duke associate coach Chris Collins and Syracuse associate head coach Mike Hopkins help prepare scouting reports on upcoming opponents as well as get on the court during practice to run drills for the likes of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.

It has to be a delicate job, directing the 10 other prep All-Americans on the Duke basketball team. Corralling all those egos, however, is not the most challenging assignment ever given Steve Wojciechowski."

LEWES, Del. - Willowridge of Texas was simply too deep, too big and too talented for top-ranked but game Southern of Baltimore and rolled to a 74-64 victory in the 11th Slam Dunk to the Beach at Cape Henlopen High School last night. It was Southern's first loss of the season. The Bulldogs (6-1) were led by Darshan Luckey's 17 points, 14 each from Melvin Scott and Keyon Johnson and 13 by Renardo Dickerson. In what could have been a preview of future ACC matchups between Southern's North Carolina-bound Scott pitted against Daniel Ewing, who is headed to Duke, Ewing was the winner.

When Athletics left-handed pitcher Steve Wojciechowski made his major-league debut last month, he became the 15th player -- and third active -- to have a record 13 letters in his last name. Here's a look at whether the current players with the longest names have chances at long careers.Players, CommentsSteve Wojciechowski -- EVEN -- No, he's not the former Cardinal Gibbons basketball guard now at Duke. But he is highly regarded.Todd Hollandsworth -- UP -- 13 letters. Dodgers rookie outfielder was starting regularly before fracturing his right thumb two weeks ago.William VanLandingham -- EVEN -- 13 letters.

At Oakland (Calif.) ColiseumDay, Time, TV, StartersTonight, 10:05, Ch. 54, Rick Krivda (0-2, 3.90) vs. Ariel Prieto (2-5, 4.96)Tomorrow night, 11:05, None, Jamie Moyer (7-4, 4.45) vs. Steve Wojciechowski (1-1, 6.75)Sunday, 4:05, HTS, Scott Erickson (8-9, 5.56) vs. Ron Darling (4-7, 6.23)Radio: All games on WBAL (1090 AM) and WTOP (1500 AM)Athletics updateOakland began an 11-game homestand last night with a 3-2 win over Seattle. The A's are sixth in the wild-card chase, six games behind Texas and a game ahead of the Orioles.

Bobby Cremins still doesn't have an explanation for Georgia Tech's turnaround from a wayward 6-7 team to regular-season champion in the Atlantic Coast Coast this season, but he got the credit, anyway.Cremins was named the ACC's Coach of the Year yesterday by an Creminsoverwhelming margin in a ballot of the Atlantic Coast Sports Writers Association.Cremins, whose Yellow Jackets take a 22-11 record into the Southeast Regional against Austin Peay, received 74 of 107 votes. Clemson's Rick Barnes, whose Tigers earned an NCAA tournament bid in his second season, was second with 17 votes.

For the first time in his career, Maryland senior Keith Booth was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference first team. He also was named yesterday as one of 16 finalists for the prestigious John Wooden national Player of the Year award.Booth, who has led the Terrapins to a 20-9 regular-season record and a 9-7 ACC record, was joined on the first team by Wake Forest center Keith Duncan, North Carolina forward Antawn Jamison, Georgia Tech forward Matt Harpring and Duke guard Trajan Langdon."I feel very honored to have been selected as a member of the All-ACC team," Booth said.

BaseballAthletics: Placed P Steve Wojciechowski (irritated left ulna nerve) on 15-day DL, retroactive to July 19. Recalled P Tim Kubinski from Triple-A Edmonton.Blue Jays: Claimed P Omar Daal off waivers from Expos. Activated OF Tomas Perez from 15-day DL; optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse. Named Ernie Whitt manager of Single-A Dunedin.Indians: Signed P Tim Drew, first-round choice, to minor-league contract. Signed IF Pat Listach to minor-league contract; assigned him to Triple-A Buffalo.

LAHAINA, Hawaii -- It was supposed to be a gradual improvement process for the Duke Blue Devils.Someone evidently hit the fast-forward button.The third-ranked Blue Devils sent a thunderclap message from out in the Pacific Ocean last night when they defeated No. 1 Arizona, 95-87, to win the Maui Invitational.Getting significant contributions from several players, including tournament MVP Steve Wojciechowski (Cardinal Gibbons), who scored 13 points with five assists, the Blue Devils tore into the defending national champions early, then held off a late Arizona comeback to improve to 5-0 and perhaps move into the top spot in the polls.

BAYAMON, Puerto Rico -- Laron Profit was named the Most Valuable Player. Teammates Steve Francis and Terence Morris joined him on the all-tournament team. So did a player from friendly, 0-3 host American University of Puerto Rico, but somehow that honor roll didn't include Terrell Stokes.Close observers of Maryland over the last two days saw that the senior point guard was a crucial figure in the Puerto Rico Shootout. Stokes made a difference in a 16-point semifinal win over UCLA, and he kept on distributing the ball in a 35-point rout of Pittsburgh in the championship game.

BAYAMON, Puerto Rico -- After Maryland had earned a spot in last night's championship game of the Puerto Rico Shootout, coach Gary Williams explained the lack of resistance his Terps had faced in the first several weeks of the season."

At St. Petersburg, Fla.No. 1 seed Duke (32-3) vs. No. 2 Kentucky (32-4)Time: 5 p.m. todayTV: Chs. 13, 9Line: Pick 'emConference records: Duke won the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title with a 15-1 record. Kentucky won the Southeastern Conference with a 14-2 record.Coaches: Mike Krzyzewski is 505-211 in 23 seasons, 432-152 in 18 seasons at Duke; Tubby Smith is 156-66 in seven seasons overall, 32-4 in one season at Kentucky.Starting lineups: Duke: PG Steve Wojciechowski (6.6 ppg, 4.6 apg, 2.3 spg)

It has to be a delicate job, directing the 10 other prep All-Americans on the Duke basketball team. Corralling all those egos, however, is not the most challenging assignment ever given Steve Wojciechowski."

LAHAINA, Hawaii -- It was supposed to be a gradual improvement process for the Duke Blue Devils.Someone evidently hit the fast-forward button.The third-ranked Blue Devils sent a thunderclap message from out in the Pacific Ocean last night when they defeated No. 1 Arizona, 95-87, to win the Maui Invitational.Getting significant contributions from several players, including tournament MVP Steve Wojciechowski (Cardinal Gibbons), who scored 13 points with five assists, the Blue Devils tore into the defending national champions early, then held off a late Arizona comeback to improve to 5-0 and perhaps move into the top spot in the polls.

BaseballAthletics: Placed P Steve Wojciechowski (irritated left ulna nerve) on 15-day DL, retroactive to July 19. Recalled P Tim Kubinski from Triple-A Edmonton.Blue Jays: Claimed P Omar Daal off waivers from Expos. Activated OF Tomas Perez from 15-day DL; optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse. Named Ernie Whitt manager of Single-A Dunedin.Indians: Signed P Tim Drew, first-round choice, to minor-league contract. Signed IF Pat Listach to minor-league contract; assigned him to Triple-A Buffalo.

Junior guard Kevin Dukes scored 19 points and went 5-for-5 from the field in the second half, as No. 5 Cardinal Gibbons pulled away from No. 6 Towson Catholic for a 65-53 home victory last night that moved the Catholic League leaders to 3-0.The Crusaders (9-6 overall and 4-0 in the MSA A Conference Armstrong Division) led 35-33 midway in the third quarter before Dukes started a Gibbons spurt that built the lead to 51-37 at the outset of the fourth quarter.Dukes scored seven points in the 16-6 run and hit a three-pointer after a steal by Steve Wojciechowski (17 points)

Members of the Oakland Athletics use the term "youth movement" to characterize the club's recent roster moves.That doesn't necessarily translate into a concession, however, especially in the era of the wild card.The Athletics, with last night's 7-2 victory, have won eight of 10 to draw within 2 1/2 games of Texas in the AL wild-card race."Realistically, I think we have as good a chance as anybody," said Oakland catcher Terry Steinbach. "I like where our momentum is, coming off a successful [7-4]

GREENSBORO, N.C.-- North Carolina State came into this year's Atlantic Coast Conference tournament with the most modest of goals: win its play-in game against Georgia Tech on Thursday night, clinch a better-than-.500 record and get a bid to the National Invitation Tournament.The Wolfpack saw its goal, not to mention its status, go up quite a bit yesterday in the ACC tournament quarterfinals. After beating the last-place, packed-it-in-for-the-season Yellow Jackets in the preliminary, N.C. State shocked top-seeded and seventh-ranked Duke, 66-60.