BRIEFS

Burger King

tops Compass

Matthew Overton had two home runs and Landon Batchler had a sacrifice fly to help Burger King beat Compass, 12-6, in Minor League play. Alec Spencer got the win to improve to 1-0.

Jarrett Sowfford and Peyton Campbell each had a RBI and Jordan Seay tripled for the winners.

Local hoop league

begins signups

The Giving Back Organization is signing up students (boys and girls) ages 5 to 18 for the Free Spring/Summer Basketball Program.

Applications can be picked up at: The Boys and Girls Club, SageSport or WFGN 1180, and must be turned in by April 25.

For more info contact Stan Crosby 864-487-9733; Eddie Palmer, Sr. 864- 489-9255; or Johnny Sarratt, Sr. 864-

425-0628

Summer hoop league registration continues

Registration is continuing at SageSport, the Boys and Girls Club and the Recreation District for the Cherokee County Summer Youth Basketball League. The league is for boys and girls ages 5 to 17. You also can sign up by calling Chris Dewberry at 488-9596 or Laymond Dewberry at 425-5860.

Smotlz reaches

milestone in win

John Smoltz got two standing ovations, a video tribute and a congratulatory text message from his friend Greg Maddux on the night he joined the 3,000 strikeout club.

About the only thing he didn't get was a victory.

Smoltz became the 16th pitcher in major league history to reach the plateau, but was outpitched by John Lannan in the Washington Nationals' 6-0 win over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night.

Smoltz fanned Felipe Lopez in the third inning, the veteran hurler's fourth of the game, to reach the mark. He struck out 10 for the second straight start and for the 45th time in his 20- year career.

Lopez whiffed on a split-finger fastball, a pitch Smoltz first debuted in 1992 NLCS and one that the Atlanta ace still credits for helping win the '96 NL Cy Young Award.

Dolphins ink

No. 1 pick

Jake Long seemed at ease in his new role as the NFL's No. 1 draft pick, leaning into a news conference microphone to talk about his mean streak while his mother sat in the corner, nodding as she smiled.

The Miami Dolphins were grinning Tuesday, too. They signed the Michigan left tackle to a five-year contract with $30 million guaranteed, and they'll select him with the top pick in the draft Saturday.

The deal allows the Dolphins and Long to avoid a possible holdout.

"It's really important for us to know Jake is going to be on the field for us on time when training camp begins in July," coach Tony Sparano said. "That was critical."

Long's total contract package is for $57.75 million, said a person familiar with the negotiations who didn't want to be identified because the Dolphins declined to reveal terms.

Spurs lead

Suns 2-0

Speedy Tony Parker rushed toward the basket on the fast break, then slammed into the 320-pound wall known as Shaquille O'Neal and fell to the floor.

"He was trying to play physical," the Spurs point guard said. "But that's not going to stop me."

Parker and Manu Ginobili got to the rim time and again on Tuesday and San Antonio beat the Phoenix Suns 102-96 _ this time without double overtime or a game-saving 3- pointer from Tim Duncan - to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of seven series.