file photo/Arizona Daily Wildcat Luke Walton goes up for a layup in the Pacific 10 Conference Tournament title game last month against USC. Walton was named a second-team Sporting News All-American yesterday.

Walton earns another All-American honor
By Jeff Lund

Chalk up another All-American award for Luke Walton.

Yesterday, the junior was selected as a second team All-American by the Sporting News.

Walton, a forward from San Diego, Calif., averaged 15.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and a Pac-10 Conference-leading 6.3 assists in 31 games this season.

Walton's selection to an All-American team was his third this season.

Walton led the Wildcats with nine double-doubles this season. He also posted a triple-double against USC on January 17 and narrowly missed triple-doubles on other occasions.

Associate head coach Jim Rosborough said he is not surprised with Walton's continuing selection to All-American teams.

"I think Luke came out of nowhere and played very well," Rosborough said. "He had a good preseason, then stepped it up in (conference play) and really stepped it up down the stretch."

The Pacific 10 Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player, Walton shot 47 percent from the field over the course of the season and scored in double figures 24 times.

He was the only Pac-10 player to be ranked in the league's top 15 in scoring and the top 10 in rebounding, assists and steals.

"The thing that caught peoples' attention was the multiple talents he showed," Rosborough said. "It's a legitimate honor. Luke had a great year."

No decision on NBA for Gardner
By Jeff Lund

Junior guard Jason Gardner's future at Arizona still remains up in the air.

After testing the NBA pre-draft waters last year, Gardner decided against leaving last summer, but a standout 2001-02 season has put his name in the mix of possible draft picks in this summer draft.

"He is in the process of gathering information," Rosborough said. "He needs to get every bit of information from reliable sources. It's a lot of stress. He wants to do what is right. He just needs to get all the valid information."

Rosborough said that Arizona has had a history of players that have stayed four years and been successful, as well as a handful of early departures that have excelled.

"(Mike) Bibby left early and he has done well," Rosborough said. "Damon Stoudamire and Jason Terry stayed all four years and they have done well. The key thing (Gardner) needs is to get to a team that needs what Jason brings. If he doesn't, then he is cooked. He will be overseas or in some crappy developmental league in north Canada."

Johnson has successful surgery
By Maxx Wolfson

UA sophomore linebacker Kirk Johnson's surgery on his left knee was successful, said football coach John Mackovic.

Johnson had his knee scoped earlier in the day yesterday and still made it out for practice on crutches. A little piece of meniscus was removed from the knee.

"He feels good," Mackovic said. "The doctor feels really good about it. He's ready to go."

Mackovic teased the sophomore when he arrived to practice yesterday. Mackovic yelled to Johnson, "Where is your helmet and shoulder pads?"

Johnson then excitedly said, "You want me to go get 'em'?"

Mackovic said Johnson, if possible, would have loved to practice yesterday.

As a freshman last season, Johnson had 33 tackles and one sack.

The Wildcats wrap up spring practice with the Spring Game Saturday at 1 p.m. in Arizona Stadium.

Nallen in contention for Ben Hogan Award
From Staff and Wire reports

Arizona sophomore golfer Chris Nallen was named a semifinalist for the Ben Hogan Award yesterday by the Friends of Golf and Colonial Country Club in association with the Golf Coaches Association of America.

Nallen's candidacy for the award, yearly to the nation's best male college golfer, comes as the New Jersey native leads Arizona with a 71.41 stroke average in nine events.

Nallen is one of 20 candidates for the 12th annual award. The award will be presented May 13 at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

Nallen has two top-five and four top-10 finishes thus far this season, including a top-five finish last week at the Oregon Duck Invitational.