BASKETBALL
Former Toledo player charged with point-shaving A former University of Toledo basketball player has been charged with point shaving, according to a federal bill of information filed in U.S. District Court in Detroit.
Sammy Villegas, who played basketball for four years at Toledo and has followed that with a professional career in his native Puerto Rico, is accused of shaving points in games during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons.
Villegas, a guard who finished his college career in 2006, also paid another player who took part in the point-shaving ring, prosecutors said. The other player was not charged or named in the bill of information, which was filed June 30.
Villegas was charged with conspiracy to influence sports contests by bribery and received money and other gifts in exchange for fixing games, prosecutors said.
• Bill Self, the Kansas basketball coach who guided the Jayhawks to their first NCAA championship in 20 years, signed a 10-year, $30 million contract. Under Self's new contract, his salary will remain at $229,900. But the package will include an annual payment of $2,270,100 in private money for "professional services" and other incentives.
"It turned out pretty well. I'm very happy," Self said. "But I'm looking at it as 10 one-year contracts."
• The Los Angeles Clippers acquired Steve Novak, a forward who can shoot from the perimeter, in a deal with the Houston Rockets. In return, the Rockets will have the option to exchange second-round picks with the Clippers in the 2011 NBA draft.
SOCCER
U.S. soccer teams hits 10-year ratings low The United States dropped one spot to 31st in the FIFA world soccer rankings released Wednesday, matching its low since 1997. Still, the U.S. team is the highest-ranked in the North and Central American and Caribbean region, one spot above Mexico, which dropped 13 places in one month and reached its lowest level since the rankings began in 1993. European champion Spain remained first, and Germany moved up one spot into second above World Cup champion Italy.
