POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. — Ryan Fiegi scored 22 points as Oregon Tech won its second NAIA Division II title in four years with a 63-56 win over top-ranked Bellevue (Neb.) on Tuesday.

Fiegi and Jguwon Hogges each hit a pair of free throws in the final 16 seconds to seal the championship for the Hustlin’ Owls.

Hogges had 14 points on the night and Ryan Beesley scored all 10 of his points in the second half. Oregon Tech (31-6) shot 12-of-13 from the free-throw line.

Oregon Tech entered the tournament as the No. 11 seed, but recorded five wins in six days to become the first Oregon-based basketball team to win a pair of national titles.

John Gray led Bellevue with 14 points.

Also Tuesday, Fiegi was named the NAIA Division II men’s basketball player of the year and Danny Miles was named coach of the year after the 847th win of his career.

PRO BASKETBALL

Blazers ask for second opinion on Miles’ knee injury

PORTLAND — The Portland Trail Blazers have asked the NBA to appoint an independent doctor to determine if Darius Miles can play again.

Miles, a 6-foot-9 forward, had microfracture surgery on his right knee on Nov. 18, 2006 and has not played for the Blazers since.

Miles signed a six-year, $48 million contract in 2004. The Blazers will pay him $18 million on the two years remaining.

Should the doctor determine he can’t play, the Blazers can waive Miles and the remaining salary would come off the team’s cap after two years. However, if he gets picked up by another team and plays in 10 games over the next two seasons, the money would not come off the cap.

The NBA and the players association determine the doctor who will evaluate Miles. The policy is part of the league’s collective bargaining agreement.

Miles has been excused from responsibilities with the team, including a rehabilitation program.

AUTO RACING

Boyer new crew chief for Yeley

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Steve Boyer was named crew chief for J.J. Yeley at Hall of Fame Racing.

Boyer, who has worked in the engineering department with the team since December, replaces Brandon Thomas. Boyer previously worked as a crew chief at Chip Ganassi Racing when Hall of Fame co-owner Tom Garfinkel was an executive with that team.

Boyer was previously a crew chief at Ganassi for Sterling Marlin for the last six races of 2004 and the entire 2005 season. He spent several years in the engineering department and was interim team manager there for part of 2006.

TENNIS

Federer, Sharapova advance

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Roger Federer needed only 53 minutes to get through the third round, and Maria Sharapova extended her perfect start to the year by winning her 17th consecutive match in the Pacific Life Open.

Three-time Indian Wells champion Federer, continuing to show strong signs that he’s completely recovered from the mononucleosis that hindered him earlier in the season, breezed to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Nicolas Mahut in their third-round match.

Sharapova, whose streak includes triumphs in the Australian Open and at Doha, outlasted Alona Bondarenko 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 to move into the women’s quarterfinals.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Player dies after conditioning drills

ORLANDO, Fla. — A Central Florida wide receiver died after voluntary strength and conditioning drills, the day before spring practice was set to begin.

Police said there was no foul play or obvious cause for redshirt freshman Ereck Plancher’s late morning collapse. UCF athletic director Keith Tribble said the players had been lifting weights, then ran for about 10 minutes.

After the workout, the team huddled for a quick chat. As everyone was leaving, Plancher, a 19-year-old from Naples, took a knee in obvious distress. UCF trainers on site immediately provided CPR and the redshirt freshman was taken by ambulance to the hospital. He was pronounced dead just before noon.

Cal back plans to transfer

BERKELEY, Calif. — California running back James Montgomery announced his intention to transfer Tuesday, leaving the Golden Bears without their most experienced healthy tailback heading into spring practice.

Montgomery rushed for 171 yards and two touchdowns last season as a freshman while playing behind senior Justin Forsett and fellow freshman Jahvid Best, who excelled as a rusher and a receiver.

With Best sidelined until training camp with a serious hip injury, Montgomery was listed as Cal’s starting tailback heading into spring ball on March 31. But Montgomery was in for a year of heavy competition with the Golden Bears’ talented stable of running backs, including touted recruit Covaughn DeBoskie.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Clemson gives coach extension

CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson coach Oliver Purnell agreed to a two-year contract extension that could keep him with the Tigers through 2014.

Purnell guided the Tigers this season to their first NCAA tournament appearance since 1998. They play Villanova on Friday.

He is 94-67 in five years with Clemson and has a school record 49 wins during the last two seasons. The Tigers finished third in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season, their best since winning the regular-season title in 1990.

Purnell will get a raise to move him into the top-third in pay among ACC coaches.

San Diego rewards coach

SAN DIEGO — University of San Diego coach Bill Grier is getting a contract extension after leading the Toreros to the NCAA tournament in his first season. The Toreros (21-13) upset Gonzaga to win the West Coast Conference tournament.

Terms of the extension weren’t announced Tuesday. Grier was a longtime assistant at Gonzaga before being hired last March after Brad Holland was fired.

SOCCER

South Africa has grand plans for 2010 World Cup

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The South African government will spend more than $3.7 billion on the 2010 World Cup, in part because of escalating stadium construction costs.

The official report released, which assessed progress in preparations, said that so far some $2.5 billion had been allocated for stadium, transport and other infrastructure.

When it bid to host the soccer showcase, estimates made in 2004 for the cost of hosting the event were as little as $370 million.

The South African government has budgeted $123 million for security for the World Cup. This money will be used to buy additional surveillance aircraft, police vehicles and other equipment, deputy police commissioner Andre Pruis said. More than 40,000 police will be dedicated to World Cup duties.