Patterson Signs an Offer Sheet With Portland

Ruben Patterson, the third-leading scorer for the Seattle SuperSonics last season, signed an offer sheet with the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday.

Patterson pleaded guilty to a sexual offense and recently served a 15-day sentence of home detention. Had he stayed with the Sonics, Patterson would have had to register as a sex offender in Washington.

The Sonics could have matched Portland’s offer because the 6-foot-5 swingman was a restricted free agent. But they chose not to sign Patterson to a sign-and-trade deal.

Patterson averaged 13.1 points and 5.0 rebounds last season.

Seattle also waived forward Ruben Wolkowyski.

Brian Hill, who led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals in 1995, was hired as an assistant coach by the Charlotte Hornets.

Joe Smith made his return to the Minnesota Timberwolves official, signing a six-year deal for about $34 million. . . . The Atlanta Hawks signed guard Jacque Vaughn, a former Pasadena Muir High standout who spent the last four seasons with the Utah Jazz.

Former NBA player Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf’s unoccupied home near Gulfport, Miss., was destroyed by fire. No one was injured. Authorities said arson has not been ruled out.

Tennis

Defending champion Marat Safin, seeded second, retired in the second set of his first-round match in the Tennis Masters Series-Canada at Montreal. Safin trailed, 4-6, 2-5, in his match against Nicolas Escude but retired, apparently because of a knee injury.

Greg Rusedski, the Quebec native who left Canada six years ago to play for England, fell to 14th-seeded Carlos Moya, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.

Tim Henman defeated Paradorn Srichaphan, 6-3, 6-3; Todd Martin defeated sixth-seeded Yevgeny Kafelnikov, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4; Nicolas Kiefer defeated 12th-seeded Thomas Enqvist, 6-2, 7-5; Jerome Golmard defeated Byron Black, 6-2, 6-2, and 10th-seeded Arnaud Clement defeated Cecil Mamiit, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.

Miroslava Vavrinec upset eighth-seeded Ana Isabel Medina-Garigues, 2-6, 7-6 (2) 6-4, in the opening round of the PreCon Ladies Open in Basel, Switzerland.

Golf

Lee Trevino holed a $1-million shot in the Par-3 Shootout, acing the 138-yard seventh hole in the two-day skins competition at Gaylord, Mich.

Paraguay’s Celeste Troche shot a two-under 69 in 103-degree heat to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of stroke-play qualifying in the U.S. Women’s Amateur at Andover, Kan. Saki Uechi of Panorama City shot 72.

Hockey

The Mighty Ducks signed center Marc Chouinard to a one-year deal with a club option on a second year.

Chouinard, 24, had three goals and seven points in 44 games last season. His 62% faceoff winning percentage was second in the NHL.

The Edmonton Oilers signed forward Jochen Hecht to a three-year contract. . . . The Washington Capitals re-signed center Andrei Nikolishin, a restricted free agent, to a one-year contract. . . . Defenseman Chris Phillips has re-signed with the Ottawa Senators, accepting the club’s one-year qualifying offer of $1.1 million. . . . The Pittsburgh Penguins re-signed assistant general manager Eddie Johnston.

Miscellany

Alison Jennings, a former Oklahoma State student, filed a civil lawsuit against four former football players she accused of sexual assault. The university and a Stillwater police officer also are named in the lawsuit. The former Cowboy players accused are Marcellus Rivers, J.B. Flowers, Evan Howell and Alvin Porter.

About 106 athletes who competed in the Francophonie Games that ended last week claimed refugee status in Canada, immigration officials said at Montreal. Canadian media reported that most of the athletes were from Africa.

George Gervais, 40, of Mira Loma remained unconscious and on life support after suffering head injuries in a weekend racing accident at Perris Auto Speedway.

Los Alamitos Race Course jockey Carlos Cristo pleaded guilty last week to workers’ compensation fraud and was sentenced to 60 days of home confinement and three years of formal probation.

Laurie Schwoy scored in the second minute of stoppage time as the Philadelphia Charge defeated the New York Power, 2-1, in WUSA soccer at Villanova, Pa.

Soccer fans battled police and each other after a Bundesliga game between St. Pauli and Hertha Berlin, leaving two police officers injured in Hamburg, Germany.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Pablo Morales was hired as coach of the Nebraska women’s swimming and diving teams.