LUBBOCK, Texas -- Bob Knight's son will become Texas Tech's basketball coach when the Hall of Fame coach retires.
The 64-year-old Knight is under contract through May 2009. Pat Knight, a Texas Tech assistant, signed a contract Friday in which he was named coach-designate, school basketball spokesman Randy Farley said Saturday.
"Pat has been instrumental in what we've done here so far and the most selfish thing for me is that I want to see what we've done placed in the hands of the most competent person, and that's Pat," Bob Knight told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. "No one would come close to being able to continue to build on what we've done here so far like he will."
Athletic director Gerald Myers said recruiting and continuity were the reasons behind the decision.
Bob Knight coached for 29 years at Indiana and won three NCAA titles until he was fired in 2000 by the school. Texas Tech lost in the regional semifinals of last year's NCAA tournament.
"My job is to prolong his career," Pat Knight told the Avalanche-Journal. "I hope he has a lot of good years left, especially with the recruits we have coming in."
Basketball
Allan Bristow resigned as general manager of the New Orleans Hornets on Saturday, citing health concerns. Jeff Bower, the Hornets' director of player personnel, was promoted to replace Bristow.
Baseball
Chicago Cubs closer Ryan Dempster agreed yesterday to a $15.5 million, three-year contract extension through the 2008 season. Going into Saturday's game in Houston, Dempster had 33 saves in 35 chances and was 4-0 with a 1.85 ERA in 57 relief appearances. He had converted 19 straight save opportunities, tying a team record during a single season, and his 21 1-3 consecutive scoreless innings were the longest streak by a Cubs reliever since 1989.
Olympics
Olympic champion swimmer Otylia Jedrzejczak of Poland was hospitalized in serious condition yesterday after a car crash near Warsaw in which her younger brother died.
Tennis
Top-seeded Kim Clijsters beat fourth-seeded Nathalie Dechy of France, 6-3, 6-1, yesterday and will play for the title of the Fortis Championships against Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany.
