Sports briefs 3/2/05

Baseball

* The Atlanta Braves completed a $47 million, four-year contract extension with Tim Hudson on Tuesday, locking up a former 20-game winner who could have become a free agent at the end of the season.

He will make $6.75 million this year. His new deal calls for a $10 million signing bonus, payable when the contract is approved by the commissioner's office, and salaries of $4 million in 2006, $6 million in 2007 and $13 million each in 2008 and 2009.

* After four years of negotiations, officials of the Chicago Cubs and the city have agreed on a plan to add 1,790 seats to Wrigley Field.

The plan to expand the bleachers in the National League's oldest ballpark calls for the Cubs to pay the city $3.1 million up front while also contributing about $250,000 toward a park at a local school. The team will also fund a $400,000 traffic signal system at an intersection that borders the northern boundary of Wrigley Field.

The plan goes to the Commission on Chicago Landmarks for its approval.

Basketball

* Alonzo Mourning and the Miami Heat finally are together again.

Mourning signed a contract Tuesday and practiced with the team in Miami, where he spent eight seasons -- a stint twice interrupted by kidney disease. He's expected to make about $325,000 for the rest of the season, based on a prorated share of the $1.1 million minimum veteran contract.

Mourning may be in uniform Thursday when Miami visits New Jersey. He averaged 10.4 points and 7.1 rebounds in 18 games for the Nets earlier this season.

Colleges

* The grand jury that investigated Colorado's football program said two female trainers alleged they were sexually assaulted by an assistant coach, and a slush fund was created with money from coach Gary Barnett's football camp, according to a report leaked to the media.

High school

* Chicago Hope's girls basketball team must return the second-place trophy it won at last weekend's Class A tournament and two other Public League teams must forfeit games after violating Illinois High School Association rules limiting the number of games and tournaments they may play.

Hope's boys basketball team exceeded the IHSA limit of three tournaments by playing in four and will have to forfeit tomorrow's sectional semifinal game to Chicago Christian, and Chicago Harlan's girls team had to forfeit the Class AA supersectional to Oak Park Fenwick on Monday because it also exceeded the limit on games.

Hockey

* The NHL board of governors made two things quite clear Tuesday: there will be hockey in the fall and commissioner Gary Bettman will still be in charge.

On a day when players regrouped in Toronto and executives from all 30 teams gathered in New York, both sides issued stern declarations that there is unity in the ranks.

Bettman said he plans to invite the players' association back to the bargaining table soon, but wouldn't reveal if he will present a new proposal. If a deal can't be reached through negotiation, the league plans to explore all options -- including using replacement players next season.

Tennis

* U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova lost in the second round of the Dubai Open on Tuesday to Sania Mirza, an Indian wild card who overcame an early ankle injury and won the second-round match 6-4, 6-2.

In first-round play, sixth-seeded Alicia Molik of Australia lost to Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 7-6 (8), 6-2, and seventh-seeded Nathalie Dechy of France defeated Vera Douchevina of Russia 6-7 (1), 6-4, 7-6 (4).

--From wire reports