Walker not injured in home robbery

A. WALKER Bound at gunpoint

Miami coach Pat Riley expressed relief yesterday over the news that Heat forward Antoine Walker was not injured during a robbery at the player's Chicago home.

Walker and one of his relatives were bound at gunpoint while multiple robbers took a car, cash, and jewelry from the former Celtic's offseason residence Monday night.

Walker -- a Chicago native -- was shaken up, but not physically injured, said agent Mark Bartelstein.

"I've talked to Mark; have not been able to get through to Antoine yet, but he's OK," Riley said. "It's what it is. It had to be a terrifying ordeal for him. Until I speak with him, I don't have any knowledge other than what I've heard from other people."

The vehicle taken in the robbery was found, abandoned, in Chicago yesterday morning.

Police have not announced any arrests in the case.

In July 2000, Walker -- then with the Celtics -- was the victim of an armed robbery along with NBA center Nazr Mohammed as they sat in a vehicle waiting for a restaurant on Chicago's South Side to open. Police said three men approached and demanded cash and valuables, which included a $55,000 wristwatch.

The three-time All-Star averaged 8.5 points with Miami last season and was a key part of the Heat's run to the NBA championship the year before.

Two longtime New England rivals and a pair of intersectional powers will meet in the second Basketball Hall of Fame Challenge Dec. 1 at TD Banknorth Garden.

Boston College and Providence will play in the nightcap at 6, after Connecticut and Gonzaga play in the opener at 3:30. The event, a fund-raiser for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, was held last season in Phoenix, with Gonzaga beating Texas and Arizona topping Illinois.

The Eagles and Friars, Big East rivals until BC left for the Atlantic Coast Conference two years ago, have played 101 times, with Providence leading the series, 56-45.

"We have had some tremendous games in the past against Boston College and we look forward to playing BC in the TD Banknorth Garden," said Providence coach Tim Welsh.

BC coach Al Skinner said two New England rivals playing in a benefit for the Hall of Fame is fitting.

"Anytime you have an opportunity to contribute to the Basketball Hall of Fame is great, but to participate in the Hall of Fame Challenge with a New England rivalry makes it that much better," Skinner said.

UConn and Gonzaga have met only once, in the 1999 NCAA Tournament West Regional final, a game won by the Huskies, 67-62, en route to winning the national championship.

Tickets for the doubleheader go on sale Sept. 4 at all Ticketmaster locations as well as Ticketmaster.com. The schools also will make tickets available to students and alumni.

Top draft pick Greg Oden needs to have his tonsils removed and is expected to miss the rest of the Trail Blazers' Summer League games in Las Vegas. Oden was scheduled to travel to Los Angeles for the taping of the ESPY awards and then return to Portland for a tonsillectomy, the team said. A surgery date hadn't been set. His recovery was expected to take about two weeks. In his Summer League debut, the 7-foot Oden, who played one season at Ohio State, scored 6 points and had two rebounds before leaving with 10 fouls (the maximum allowed) in the Blazers' 74-66 loss to the Celtics Friday . . . The Timberwolves signed first-round draft pick Corey Brewer. The 6-foot-9-inch swingman from Florida was the seventh overall pick in last month's draft. He got a two-year deal worth $4.4 million . . . The NBA salary cap for 2007-08 season will be $55.63 million, the league announced. The tax level was set at $67.87 million . . . Lakers owner Jerry Buss pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence in Vista, Calif. Buss, 74, was stopped May 29 after he was seen driving on the wrong side of the road in Carlsbad.