The Houston Rockets have agreed to terms with former Washington Wizards center Nene on a one-year, $2.9 million deal, a person with knowledge of the situation told the Associated Press. The Rockets and Nene, 33, came to agreement Wednesday to help the team address the departures of center Dwight Howard and forward Chandler Parsons. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract cannot be signed until today. Nene averaged 9.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in 57 games for the Wizards last season. When healthy, the Brazilian remains a formidable presence in the paint who can give the offensive-minded Rockets some needed toughness.
Varsity
Hines takes over as athletic director at Glen Burnie
Kyle Hines, 31, has been hired as Glen Burnie's athletic director, replacing the retired Bruce Sider. Hines takes over the athletic program at the school where his grandparents met and where his father and uncle played baseball for Sider. "This is all I've ever wanted to do," said Hines, who grew up in Pasadena and lived for a time in Severn. "This is my dream job." Hines graduated from Archbishop Spalding in 2003 and later from Frostburg State. He lives in Severna Park with his wife, Kaitlyn, who is the girls lacrosse coach at Severna Park.
For more on Hines from the Baltimore Sun Media Group's Bob Hough, go to baltimoresun.com/varsity.
Et cetera
Hickory, Bel Air selected for Ripken World Series
The Hickory Hornets and Bel Air Braves will represent Harford County and Team Maryland, respectively, at the Cal Ripken World Series. Ripken Baseball will host the Babe Ruth League's Major/70 premier event, featuring elite 11-and 12-year-old youth baseball players from around the world July 29-Aug. 6 at The Ripken Experience Aberdeen youth baseball complex in Aberdeen.
Baseball: The Seattle Mariners transferred former Orioles catcher Steve Clevenger (Mount Saint Joseph) from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list. Clevenger fractured his right hand on a foul tip late last month.
Major League Lacrosse: Chesapeake Bayhawks attackman Joe Walters(Maryland) was named Offensive Player of the Week. Boston Cannons defenseman Brodie Merrill, a former Baltimore Bayhawk, was named Defensive Player of the Week.
WNBA: Monique Currie scored nine of her season-high 20 points in the fourth quarter and the host San Antonio Stars (5-13) earned a 77-70 win over the Washington Mystics (9-10).
College football: Maryland redshirt sophomore Brendan Moore was one of 57 players named to the Rimington Trophy fall watch list. The trophy goes to the nation's best center.
Women's college tennis: Katie Dougherty, the 1997 Baltimore Sun Howard County Tennis Player of the Year from Centennial, was named an assistant coach at Maryland. She spent the past seven seasons as head coach at Iowa, where she helped the Hawkeyes reach a program-record No. 18 in the ITA rankings in 2010.