Here's the latest from UW on Quincy Pondexter's performance in U.S. exhibitions leading to the World University Games:

The USA beat Russia 67-63 in the final tune up game before facing Finland on July 3 in the World University Games opener. Team USA was 2-1 during the exhibition stretch of the tournament.

Husky Quincy Pondexter came off the bench and scored three points on 3-for-4 from the free throw line. He played 17 minutes on Monday and averaged just over 5.3 points per game in the three exhibition games.

More information is available at GoHuskies.com.

From a UW press release:

In the second exhibition game for Team USA at the World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia, the American's lost 98-82 to host Serbia.

Quincy Pondexter came off the bench and played 16 minutes for Team USA. He scored six points, grabbed two rebounds and dished out an assist.

The full release is available at GoHuskies.com.

Before each Sounders FC game, the club presents a Golden Scarf, which is sort of their version of the Seahawks' raising the 12th man flag.

Receiving the honor today was UW men's basketball coach Lorenzo Romar.

UW senior-to-be Quincy Pondexter contributed seven points, two rebounds and a steal for the USA Men's World University Games team on Saturday in a come-from-behind 85-81 win over Canada in Belgrade, Serbia. The U.S. trailed by 16 points in the first half and used a 28-14 fourth-quarter run to push ahead by the end.

More info at GoHuskies.com.

Former UW power forward Jon Brockman got over to Sacramento on Friday to meet his new NBA team and the local media.

Here's a Sacramento Bee story, focusing on Brockman's well-known toughness.

The Portland Trail Blazers picked UW forward Jon Brockman with the 38th pick overall in tonight's NBA draft.

However, Brockman was quickly traded to the Sacramento Kings. That means Brockman will be reunited with former Husky Spencer Hawes instead of former Husky Brandon Roy of Portland.

“It’s truly a dream come true, just getting drafted into the NBA,” Brockman said. “I don’t think I could ask for a better situation playing alongside my AAU teammate, and then college teammate and now NBA teammate. I don’t even know if that’s ever been done before in the NBA. But it’s a dream come true, and I’m just overwhelmed.”

Brockman said he knew he wouldn't actually be going to Portland because he received a phone call from Hawes in advance telling him about the trade that was about to unfold: Portland shipping him to Sacramento along with veteran guard Sergio Rodriguez in exchange for forward Jeff Pendergraph of Arizona State, who the Kings had selected with the 31st overall pick.

However, Brockman said he didn't go into the draft with any assurances about who would select him or when.

That had been part of the speculation Brockman had created with his pre-draft strategy of not taking part in NBA combines, individual workouts or even speaking with the media. However, he said tonight that wile the strategy was difficult for him, he trusted his agent, who believed Brockman had shown enough by averaging 15.3 points and 16.3 rebounds in the pre-draft Portsmouth Invitational Tournament.

In the end, Brockman said he was selected in about the portion of the draft that he had expected.

“I’m just so excited and proud of Jon,” UW coach Lorenzo Romar said. “He did everything in his power to be a team guy for four years and was selfless and was a servant; and now he has been rewarded to go out and attack his lifelong dream in terms of basketball, and that’s playing in the NBA. And it’s a lot of fun that he’s going to be able to join Spencer Hawes as well.”

UW teammate Justin Dentmon wasn't drafted but could be sign on with someone as a free agent.

In all, nine Pac-10 players were drafted: James Harden of Arizona State went No. 2 to Oklahoma City, Jordan Hill of Arizona went No. 8 to New York, DeMar DeRozan of USC went No. 9 to Toronto, Jrue Holiday of UCLA went No. 10 to Philadelphia, Darren Collison of UCLA went No. 21 to New Orleans, Taj Gibson of USC went No. 26 to Chicago.

Pendergraph, Brockman went in the second round, along with Chase Budinger of Arizona, who was taken No. 44 by Detroit and traded to Houston.

The first round of the NBA draft has concluded.

Jon Brockman of UW hasn't been taken yet, however he was generally projected as a second round pick.

However, six Pac-10 players did go in the first round: Six Pacific-10 Conference players were picked: James Harden of Arizona State went No. 2 to Oklahoma City, Jordan Hill of Arizona went No. 8 to New York, DeMar DeRozan of USC went No. 9 to Toronto, Jrue Holiday of UCLA went No. 10 to Philadelphia, Darren Collison of UCLA went No. 21 to New Orleans, Taj Gibson of USC went No. 26 to Chicago.

Holiday is the brother of UW guard Justin Holiday.

And Jeff Pendergraph of ASU just went as the first pick of the second round.

Men's basketball coach Lorenzo Romar confirmed this afternoon that power forward Charles Garcia won't be part of this fall's incoming class due to academic issues.

Garcia is a 6-foot-9, 220-pound power forward, and as the only junior college transfer of this class, it had been hoped that he could step in immediately and help fill the void left by the departure of senior Jon Brockman.

However, he ran into grade troubles last winter, and apparently wasn't able to solve them, at least to UW's standards. He is apparently NCAA-eligible, however, as Romar said Garcia is likely headed to Seattle University, where he will play for Cameron Dollar, the longtime Romar assistant who has taken over the Redhawks' program.

Thoughts?

Baseball isn't really one of this blogs sports, but the release of longtime Husky baseball coach Ken Knutson more than deserves mention here.

Here are the highlights from UW:

After 17 seasons as the University of Washington's head baseball coach, Ken Knutson will no longer serve in that position effective June 30. Knutson, only the second head coach of the Husky baseball program since 1977, has spent almost all of the last 27 years as a player, assistant coach and head coach at Washington.

The complete release is available at GoHuskies.com.

USC has picked Kevin O'Neill to replace Tim Floyd as men's basketball coach.

O'Neill has extensive college and NBA experience, but most recently he was interim head coach at Arizona last season.

He also was one of the more interesting coaches in the weekly Pac-10 coaches' conference calls, so I guess it's good that one of the league's better quotes remains in the league.

Here's the release from USC.

Tacoma's own Isaiah Thomas will throw out the opening pitch at Cheney Stadium on Saturday night as the Rainiers hold their "Paint the Park Purple" night.

In addition to the appearance of the Huskies basketball star, the Rainiers will wear purple and gold uniforms against the visiting Reno Aces. The uniforms will be auctioned off.

First pitch is set for 7 p.m. Saturday. Here are the details.

The game also will be televised on Comcast Sports Northwest.

UW senior-to-be Quincy Pondexter has been selected as part of the 12-member USA World University Games team.

Pondexter was selected after three days of trials in Colorado Springs, and will be coached in the July 1-12 competition by Jim Boeheim of Syracuse.

"To have a chacne to represent my country, the University of Washington, Fresno (his hometown), and my family at the international level is just a great, thrilling opportunity," Pondexter said through a UW media release.

Here's that full release.

Former Husky guard Justin Dentmon worked out today for the Portland Trail Blazers.

Conventional wisdom is that Dentmon won't be drafted, but it seems likely he'll be invited to somebody's camp.

Here's a report from the Oregonian.

Dubs, the cute little furball of a husky pup introduced last year as UW's new live mascot, has been named by Petside.com as the best mascot to appear in the most recent NCAA men's basketball tournament.

Dubs finished two spots ahead of Gonzaga's Spike the Bulldog. (The contest disintergrates from there, because UConn's Jonathan the Husky couldn't look stupider if it tried, yet somehow finished fifth.)

First-year University of Washington football coach Steve Sarkisian and a handful of his assistants are scheduled to be keynote speakers at a high school coaching banquet June 24th at Joeseppi's Italian Ristorante in north Tacoma.

Gig Harbor High coach Darren McKay is in charge of organizing the sit-down dinner, which will feature 80 high school coaches and assistants.

Joining the UW staff is Pacific-10 Conference referee Jay Stricherz, of Tacoma.

Those interested in getting in on the festivities, phone Mike Stortini, the co-owner of Joeseppi's, at (253) 761-5555 and leave a message. Stortini will have information about the cost.

Departing senior Jon Brockman of the UW men's basketball team is one of two Huskies named to receive the Pac-10 Tom Hansen Medal. The award honors achievement in scholarship, athletics and leadership.

The other UW winner is Ashley Charters, infielder for the newly crown national champion softball team.

Brockman is from Snohomish, Charters from Beaverton, Ore.

Here's the release from UW.

No worries, football fans – junior quarterback Jake Locker is sticking with his commitment to new coach Steve Sarkisian and his present team.

That did not dissuade some major-league baseball organizations from including him in their future plans, including the Los Angeles Angels, who selected Locker on the second day (10th round, No. 321 pick) of the Major League Baseball draft Wednesday.

By drafting him, the Angels hold his right for six years because he's at least a college junior. Locker said the two parties are in preliminary discussions about a contract, which will be negotiated by his father, Scott, from Ferndale.

If he signed with the Angels, he would forfeit his football scholarship at the UW. Locker said one of the stipulations in negotiations would be that the Angels would cover his college expenses the next two years.

=> Read more!

Guess this issue will come up over and over again, especially with a quarterback who isn't all that big, and has the billing as a precision passer.

One high school coach who faced Oaks Christian (Calif.) quarterback Nick Montana, who gave an oral commitment to the University of Washington on Tuesday, during the 2008 season said the teenager has legitimate arm strength.

Tony Henney, the coach at Nordhoff High who plays in the same Mid-Valley League as Oaks Christian, said the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Montana opened the game with a 71-yard touchdown pass.

"A good 55 of it was in the air," Henney said. "That opened our eyes, and our kids' eyes. Our free safety, who was playing center field, didn't think he could throw it that far."

=> Read more!

A solid spring football camp, and now this – quarterback Jake Locker was selected in the 2009 Major League Baseball draft.

Locker, heading into his junior season, was taken by the Los Angeles Angels in the 10th round as a center fielder. He was the 321st selection overall.

He was also drafted by the Angels during his senior season in 2007.

Other UW players drafted were right fielder Kyle Conley in the seventh round (St. Louis); pitcher Brian Pearl in the ninth round (Cincinnati) and White River High product Jason Erickson, a pitcher, in the 24th round (Pittsburgh).

Apparently, Nick Montana, a rising quarterback prospect from California, enjoyed the Steve Sarkisian experience over the weekend at the Huskies' "Junior Day."

Montana, who will be a senior next fall, and son of NFL All-Pro quarterback Joe Montana, gave the Huskies an oral commitment Tuesday as the key recruit so far in the 2010 class.

Several media outlets (including one that last week quoted his former quarterbacks coach saying Montana was leaning toward the Huskies if things went weel) said the 6-foot-2, 190-pounder was the Huskies' prospect to lose.

This addition eases some of the blow of Skyline High's Jake Heaps' decision to attend Brigham Young University, announced last week in Salt Lake City.

One of the things that the Huskies may have going for them in the defense of their Pac-10 men's regular season basketball title next season is the general state of the league ... which projects as low.

That decline continued Tuesday as Tim Floyd announced that he is leaving the USC program, which has become a circus of complains and departures. Floyd said he has lost his enthusiasm for the job, but the fact is the resignation comes soon less than a month after he was accused of delivering an envelope of cash to the handler of a star player.

Here's the news from the Trojan basketball site. And here is the far more detailed version from the Los Angeles Times.

The University of Washington athletic department announced Tuesday that two of its home football games – Sept. 12 against Idaho (12:30 p.m.) and Dec. 5 against California (3:30 p.m.) – will be televised live on FSN.

The last 26 Husky games have been televised live, dating back to 2006.

Here is the skeletal layout of the Huskies' 2009 fall practices. Times will be firmed up later:

Mon., Aug. 10 - Practice
Tue., Aug. 11 - Practice
Wed., Aug. 12 - Practice
Thu., Aug. 13 - Practice
Fri., Aug. 14 - Practice
Sat., Aug. 15 - Two-a-day practices
Sun., Aug. 16 - Picture Day (no practice)
Mon., Aug. 17 - Two-a-day practices
Tue., Aug. 18 - Practice
Wed., Aug. 19 - Two-a-day practices
Thu., Aug. 20 - Practice
Fri., Aug. 21 - Two-a-day practices
Sat., Aug. 22 - Practice
Sun., Aug. 23 - Off day
Mon., Aug. 24 - Practice
Tue., Aug. 25 - Two-a-day practices
Wed., Aug. 26 - Practice
Thu., Aug. 27 - Two-a-day practices
Fri., Aug. 28 - Practice
Sat., Aug. 29 - Practice
Sun., Aug. 30 - Off day
Mon., Aug. 31 - Practice
Tue., Sept. 1 - Practice
Wed., Sept. 2 - Practice
Thu., Sept. 3 - Practice
Fri., Sept. 4 - Practice
Sat., Sept. 5 - SEASON OPENER, Huskies vs. LSU, 7:30 p.m. PDT

The Washington men's basketball team will open it's regular season Nov. 13 at home against Wright State. That will be the first of three straight days of double-headers making up the Athletes in Action tournament to be held at Hec Ed.

The Huskies will make their home debut before that: Nov. 4, with an exhibition game against Central Washington.

Other highlights of the regular season will include two Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series games: Dec. 3 at Texas Tech and Dec. 22 hosting Texas A&M. Other interesting out-of-conference games include a visit to the John Wooden Classic in Anaheim against an opponent to be named, and visits from familiar faces Portland State, Montana and Seattle U., and rarities San Jose State (including former Husky Adrian Oliver) and San Francisco. (And nope, no Gonzaga.)

Conference play begins and ends against Oregon State: starting Dec. 31 at home and ending March 6 in Corvallis. On March 4, the Huskies will play what will likely be their final game against the Ducks at Mac Court.

Washington State visits Jan. 30 and UCLA on Feb. 20.

The Pac-10 tournament will be played March 10-13 at Staples Center in LA.

The full schedule is available at GoHuskies.com.

One door closed Thursday on the University of Washington. As expected, Jake Heaps, the highly-touted quarterback from Skyline High School, announced he would be attending Brigham Young University in the summer before the 2010 season.

Just because the best in-state junior recruit – and arguably the No. 1 prospect in the country – has opted to leave, other options remain for the Huskies.

New UW coach Steve Sarkisian dearly wants to land another quarterback for next season's recruiting class, and two sought-after California play-callers he's made offers to remain on the board – Lakewood High's Jesse Scroggins, Jr. and Oaks Christian's Nick Montana.

=> Read more!

It’s almost become the Washington state curse – a consensus No. 1 national football recruit crossing state lines.

That will happen today as Skyline High’s Jake Heaps, the quarterback with 26 NCAA Division I scholarship offers before his senior season, announces he will play at Brigham Young University, multiple sources confirmed.

The site and time of his announcement has yet to be determined, but the Provo Daily Herald has confirmed that Heaps is already in town, and will be one of the 100 or so prospects participating in BYU’s Junior Day starting Friday.

BYU had always been considered one of the favorites on his short list, which included Tennessee and Washington. In fact, it was thought that the Huskies, under new coach Steve Sarkisian – a former BYU quarterback himself – had made up ground in the recruiting race for the 6-foot-2, 190-pounder, who had informally visited a UW spring workout and scrimmage.

Heaps, who is LDS, has said on previous occasions that he would leave on a church mission early on in his tenure, regardless of what school he chose.

The state’s reigning Gatorade player of the year finished with 2,888 yards and 38 touchdowns while leading the Spartans to the second of back-to-back state championships, including the Class 4A crown last December over Issaquah.

The last time an in-state prospect was widely considered the No. 1 recruit in the country was Timberline High running back Jonathan Stewart in 2005. He chose Oregon over Washington State.

The latest chatter is that Skyline High's Jake Heaps will announce Thursday to attend Brigham Young University, various sources indicated today.

Even though Washington coach Steve Sarkisian had made valiant efforts to land the Spartans' quarterback, and the consensus No. 1 recruit in the country, it became clear late Wednesday that BYU – one of his favorite schools all along – was going to be his decision.

Heaps led Skyline to back-to-back state titles.

The media has been alerted today by a representative of Skyline High's Jake Heaps and his family that the nation's top quarterback will make his announcement Thursday on a college decision.

My guess – and it's just a guess: It's the University of Washington.

Of course, 25 other NCAA Division I schools have offered scholarships, including Alabama, Arizona State, Brigham Young, California, Colorado, Duke, Florida State, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana State, Miami, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon State, Pittsburgh, Stanford, South Carolina, Tennessee, UCLA, Boise State and Washington State.

=> Read more!

I was out at Cheney Stadium tonight and noticed that they're planning a "Paint the Park Purple" promotion for their June 20 game against Reno.

The Rainiers will wear special purple uniforms, and then auction them off. They're also selling $15 tickets with proceeds from the auction and $5 from the tickets all going to a UW-Tacoma scholarship fund.

Here's the info.