Honors Go to Battier, Doherty

The Atlantic Coast Conference scored a rare sweep Friday when Duke forward Shane Battier and North Carolina Coach Matt Doherty were named player of the year and coach of the year by the Associated Press.

It marked the first time since 1979 that one conference had both award winners. That year they were won by Coach Bill Hodges and Larry Bird of Indiana State.

Battier, a senior, averaged 19.9 points and 7.2 rebounds this season.

Doherty, in his first season at his alma mater after one season at Notre Dame, was the first North Carolina coach to win the award. He led the Tar Heels to a 26-7 record and a share of the ACC regular-season championship.

“I can list five, probably 10 coaches, off the top of my head who deserve it more,” Doherty said.

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NCAA President Cedric Dempsey was in Bakersfield last Saturday to attend the Division II men’s basketball final.

Funny thing, he called the night before and had no problem getting a hotel room.

“I got the bill slid under my door the next morning,” Dempsey said. “I’m sure someone had said that the president was coming. The bill was addressed to George W. Bush, President of the United States. I’m going to keep that one for posterity.”

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Duke’s Jason Williams was asked if he harbored any thoughts about leaving school early for the NBA.

“It’s something I’m not really worried about at all,” Williams said. “I think I have a great coach in Coach K [Mike Krzyzewski]. I respect his opinion more than anybody else’s. When I’m ready, whenever it is, I’m sure he’ll let me know.”

Krzyzewski suggested that his precocious sophomore take his time.

“If you want to be a professional in anything, it requires time and development,” Krzyzewski said. “People do that in law and medicine. You don’t skip steps.

“I think in Jason’s case, Jason and his parents realized that he’s still a kid. There’s no reason why he couldn’t improve more even next year and the year after. I mean, we’re certainly going to coach him that way.”

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Four Texas Tech players, including starting guard Jamal Brown, won’t play for new Coach Bob Knight next season. Rodney Bass, Brannon Hayes and Brown will keep their scholarships, and Ronald Hobbs asked for and was given his release from the program. “Evidently something happened that Coach Knight didn’t like or didn’t want on the team,” freshman guard Andre Emmett said, “so Coach Knight did what he had to do.” . . . Florida junior Udonis Haslem and sophomore Brett Nelson will not leave school early for the NBA.