IN BRIEF

Hopkins to succeed Boeheim at Syracuse

Jim Boeheim has known for a while who he wanted to succeed him as coach of the Syracuse Orange when he decides to retire, and now it’s official that assistant coach Mike Hopkins is the man.

Hopkins said Tuesday he had reached an agreement on a plan to succeed the Hall of Fame coach.

Hopkins, who played guard at Syracuse from 1988 to 1993, is in his 13th season on Boeheim’s staff.

“Jim isn’t going anywhere, but Mike is my next coach,” athletic director Daryl Gross said, adding that it was premature to talk about the future because Boeheim, 62, has given no indication he plans to retire anytime soon.

Also: Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy has forfeited $30,000 in restitution to the government under his plea deal in a basketball gambling scam.

Donaghy, who admitted to betting on games he officiated, made the payment last month, according to court records. Robert Nardoza, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, N.Y., which is prosecuting the case, confirmed the payment.

The veteran referee pleaded guilty in a Brooklyn court to felony charges for taking cash payoffs from gamblers and betting on games he officiated. He was released on $250,000 bond and is set to be sentenced Nov. 9.

HOCKEY

Hecht, Sabres agree to four-year extension

Sabres forward Jochen Hecht agreed to a four-year, $14.1 million contract extension that will keep him in Buffalo through the 2011-12 season.

Hecht, who will make $2.3 million this season, was set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

Also: Veteran forward Randy Robitaille signed a one-year, $625,000 contract with the Ottawa Senators, the ninth team of his career.

The 32-year-old Robitaille, released from his Russian team, must clear NHL waivers by today before officially joining the Senators.

MISCELLANEOUS

Serena Williams retires with injury while trailing

Serena Williams retired with a sore right thigh while trailing Patty Schnyder of Switzerland 6-0, 3-0 in the first round of the Zurich Open in Zurich, Switzerland.

Trailing 3-0 in the first set, Williams had the tape on her right thigh removed. She won only nine points in the set, five on her serve.

The sixth-seeded American was treated again between sets. Winning only one more point, she was broken twice before retiring.

Also: Jameel McCline’s drug tests before and after his Oct. 6 title bout were negative, the New York State Athletic Commission said.

The Daily News reported before the fight that McCline received more than $12,000 worth of steroids, human growth hormone and related drugs from March 2005 until December 2006.

Samuel Peter won a unanimous decision over McCline in their WBC heavyweight title bout at Madison Square Garden.

Tiger Woods will have his own brand of sports drink next year under an endorsement deal with Gatorade that marks a couple of firsts for the world’s No. 1 golfer — his first U.S. deal with a beverage company and his first licensing agreement.

Gatorade said it will introduce “Gatorade Tiger” in March, with more products to follow.

The NCAA put Ball State on probation for two years and cut three football scholarships because of misuse by athletes of a textbook loan program.

The infractions involved 89 athletes in 10 sports from the spring semester of 2003 to the end of the 2004-05 school year.