PHILADELPHIA -- A basketball player who transferred from Temple University to Cheyney University was shot in the head early Thursday morning in the bustling Old City neighborhood, authorities said.
Micheal Blackshear, 21, of North Philadelphia, was pronounced dead shortly before 3 a.m. Investigators said Blackshear was shot once in the head by an unknown person who escaped in a dark-colored sedan.
Blackshear, a 6-6 forward, transferred to Division II Cheyney in January. He had been suspended from Temple's basketball team last October, just days before the start of preseason practices.
"I am very, very sorry about this terrible tragedy," Temple coach John Chaney said. "We are trying to reach out to his family. We are all very saddened about this."
He did not play at Cheyney last semester but was expected to play in the fall. During his 2003-04 season at Temple, Blackshear averaged 2.3 points and 5.9 rebounds a game off the bench.
He was a former all-city basketball player at Simon Gratz High School, where he averaged 10.5 points and 13.3 rebounds a game.
Police who responded to a report of gunshots at 2:30 a.m. Thursday were told by witnesses that a man had been shot and was taken in a white Jeep to nearby Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, officials said. Officers rushed there and spotted a vehicle fitting that description, with a shattered back window and a bullet-riddled windshield.
Motor sports
Reed Sorenson, a hotshot 19-year-old Busch Series driver, will run a full Nextel Cup schedule next season in a fourth team for Chip Ganassi Racing, two people within the team told The Associated Press yesterday. A formal announcement was scheduled for Friday at Watkins Glen International, and the two sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity confirmed that Sorenson would be introduced as driver of the No. 41 Dodge. They did not want to be identified before Sorenson's official introduction. Pro basketball
The Orlando Magic waived guard Doug Christie yesterday after a disappointing season marred by injury and public squabble with team management. After his season ended because of an ankle injury in April, Christie lashed out at general manager John Weisbrod, who has since resigned for a job in the NHL. He had been on the injured list since March 5.
The Philadelphia 76ers and free-agent center Steven Hunter agreed to terms of a contract and the deal is expected to be finalized today. Hunter, the No. 15 overall pick in the 2001 draft, spent the first three years of his career with Orlando and last season with Phoenix. The 7-footer adds needed depth to Philadelphia's frontcourt and will back up Samuel Dalembert and Chris Webber.
Jeff McInnis signed a two-year deal with the New Jersey Nets yesterday to back up Jason Kidd. The former 30-year-old North Carolina star said he's looking forward to a fresh start after a tumultuous exit from Cleveland. He was benched by coach Paul Silas on March 20 for a game in Toronto, a day before Silas was fired and replaced by assistant coach Brendan Malone.
The Atlanta Hawks' youth movement continued yesterday when the team signed 21-year-old center Zaza Pachulia from the Milwaukee Bucks. Pachulia, a backup with the Bucks, is a probable starter for the Hawks. The only other center on the Hawks' roster is Jason Collier. Swimming
Justin and Troy Dumais won the 3-meter synchro gold medal yesterday at the U.S. National Diving Championships. The brothers, who won the bronze medal at last month's world championships and were sixth at the Athens Olympics, finished with 337.710 points. In other events, Nancilea Underwood and Cassidy Krug won the women's 3-meter synchro, Jevon Tarantino captured the gold in men's 1-meter springboard, and high school junior Kelci Bryant won the women's 1-meter for her first senior national title Tennis
Maria Sharapova survived an injury and another challenge from a fellow Russian, defeating Anna Chakvetadze, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, yesterday in a third-round match at the JPMorgan Chase Open. In other matches, fourth-seeded Nadia Petrova beat No. 15 Klara Koukalova of the Czech Republic, 6-2, 6-4; No. 5 Kim Clijsters defeated No. 12 Dinara Safina of Russia, 6-0, 7-5; No. 13 Francesca Schiavone of Italy got by Varvara Lepchenko of Uzbekistan, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3; and Italian Tatiana Garbin defeated American Lisa Raymond, 6-4, 6-3.
French Open champion Rafael Nadal overpowered Sebastien Grosjean, 6-4, 6-4, yesterday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Montreal Masters. The grunting, fist-pumping Nadal is seeking his first hardcourt victory after posting eight wins on slower clay courts this year. WNBA
Nykesha Sales scored 20 points, leading five Connecticut starters in double-figures, and the Sun beat the Washington Mystics, 80-65, last night. Former Mystic Asjha Jones and Taj McWilliams-Franklin each scored 15 points as the WNBA-leading Sun (22-6) improved on their franchise record-setting season. They had never won more than 18 games before this year.
