Florida Sentinel Bulletin

WASHINGTON — Serena and Venus Williams aren’t ready to tell the world when they will return to the tennis tour.

The sisters, who own a combined 20 Grand Slam singles titles, declined to say on Thursday when they will compete next.

Venus hasn’t played since January because of a hip injury; Serena has been out since July after two foot operations, then blood clots in her lung.

They were on adjacent courts on Thursday, offering coaching tips and playing points against kids aged 7 to 17 during a 45-minute clinic to help celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center.

The next major is the French Open, which starts on May 22.

“It’s a great event, and we definitely want to be there,” Venus said. “We just take it week by week, evaluating, and the good part is we both get better every week.”

Both sisters moved around the court without any visible hitches on Thursday.

Their connection to the center dates to before the $5.1 million facility was built, when former Washington D.C. first lady Cora Masters Barry, the center’s CEO, spoke to the Williams’ mother about plans for the center. Their older sister, Isha Price, is a member of the center’s board.

Pictured: Serena Williams hopes to return to tennis in summer Serena Williams, left, and her sister Venus Williams talk during the 10th anniversary celebration of the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center in Washington.

The bright future of 16-year-old Kabiru Adewunmi was tragically killed last Tuesday night, as he was walking with friends to a convenience store on Chicago’s South Side.

Adewunmi, an optimistic, intelligent teen born in Nigeria, had played for the Chicago Fire’s 17-and-under soccer league, where he attracted the attention of Division I scouts from around the country.

But on the night of his death, Adewunmi was celebrating a different sport. The Chicago Bulls had just eliminated the Indiana Pacers in the NBA playoffs, advancing to the conference semifinals. Adewunmi and his friends were celebrating that win when they were attacked.

The incident appeared to be gang-related, although Adewunmi had just moved to the neighborhood and had no connection to gangs.

He was found unresponsive in an alley, and was pronounced dead from multiple gunshot wounds.

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA has upheld its punishment for former Southern California assistant Todd McNair for his role in the Reggie Bush case.

The Division I Infractions Appeals Committee announced its decision Friday.

McNair was punished for what the NCAA claimed was his role in the scandal surrounding the Heisman Trophy-winning tailback. USC was hit with a two-year bowl ban and severe scholarship restrictions, and McNair was prohibited from contacting recruits.

McNair was an assistant to former coach Pete Carroll for six seasons, and the NCAA claimed McNair knew about some of the gifts lavished on Bush’s family by two aspiring sports marketers hoping to land Bush as a client.

Pictured: This Jan. 4, 2006, file photo shows Southern California’s Reggie Bush, right, being consoled by USC running back coach Todd McNair after their 41-38 loss to Texas in the Rose Bowl, in Pasadena, Calif.

NEW YORK  — Tiki Barber says his attempt to return to the NFL after four years in retirement is not about money.

The 36-year-old former New York Giants’ running back has asked the team to take him off the reserve-retirement list in March. The Giants say they will release him once the league allows it. Teams have not been allowed to make roster moves because of the labor fight.

Last year, it was reported Barber was broke and couldn’t pay his divorce settlement.

Barber said Thursday that he made “a lot of money” when he was playing and working in television. He insists he now needs a goal, “something to focus on and be excited about.”

The 2011 first-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, DE Adrian Clayborn, said he grew up cheering for the St. Louis Rams, but he grew into becoming a Tampa Bay Bucs fan during the draft process.

That process culminated in Clayborn being selected in the first-round (20th overall).

Clayborn said he had a few very anxious moments where he felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest, first when the Browns traded up to No. 21 in an effort to draft him, and then as he waited for the Bucs to make their pick.

Clayborn said a text from his agent telling him the Bucs were going to draft him didn’t ease his tension. It wasn’t until he got a call from general manager Mark Dominik that he believed he was coming to Tampa Bay.

Clayborn said he was too excited to remember much about the phone call, and that he really wanted to be a Buc, although he also knew other teams wanted him.

NEW YORK — It wasn’t long after the Saints traded back into the first round that they drafted Mark Ingram. And it wasn’t long after the Saints drafting Mark Ingram that Reggie Bush let the world know about his future.

In a not-so-cryptic tweet, Bush seemed to say peace out — literally — to the Big Easy.

“It’s been fun New Orleans,” Bush tweeted shortly before midnight EST on Thursday.

To sum up: it seems like the Saints and Bush will be parting ways before the 2012 season. That seemed inevitable, barring Bush taking less money, but perhaps the ability to acquire Mark Ingram meant that New Orleans won’t have to even worry about paying Bush’s potentially exorbitant salary.

The odd thing, though, is that Mark Ingram isn’t a replacement for Reggie Bush.

MIAMI — The facts of postseason life were turned inside-out by the Heat Sunday. One team lacked cohesion and trust, and it wasn’t Miami.

Was it arrogance or uncertainty that undid the Celtics throughout their 99-90 Game 1 loss?

All they knew was that Paul Pierce (19 points and four turnovers) had himself thrown out the game after being outsmarted by Dwyane Wade with seven minutes remaining in the game.

Pierce made two mistakes uncharacteristic of a future Hall-of-Famer who should know better. Just 59 seconds before his ejection.

Wade and Jones (25 efficient points) had dumped the Celtics in a deep 87-74 hole at the time of Pierce’s ensuing run-in with Wade, which makes Pierce’s ejection less the cause and more a symptom of Boston’s opening-game downfall. Wade was running the baseline defensively when he bore through a Pierce screen. Referee Ed Malloy instantly called double technicals on both stars, and then pointed Pierce to the locker room.

“I was trying to get through a screen,’’ said Wade. “I ran through it. He (Pierce) followed me. Paul had some words for me and the referee thought it was a little too much.’’

Rick Ross and Manny Pacquiao were both involved in the Nike “Boom” commercial and now the two stars are merging lanes as Manny will bring out ‘The Bawse’ during his fight with Shane Mosley.

This seems like a direct move against the combo of Floyd Mayweather and 50 Cent since they are rivals with Manny and Ricky.

The bout takes place May 7th and this is the first time Pacquiao is walking out with a rapper.

Last week, Pacquiao’s lifelong friend and assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez endorsed Ross’ Maybach Music Group rocking the label’s shirt in this Youtube video.

Tiger Woods announced Tuesday that he will miss the Wells Fargo Championship because of a minor injury.

Woods suffered a Grade 1 mild medial collateral ligament sprain to his left knee and a mild strain to his left Achilles tendon while hitting a difficult and awkward second shot from the pine straw under the Eisenhower tree left of the fairway at No. 17 during the third round of the Masters. Woods was able to continue playing at Augusta and then later decided to seek a medical evaluation.

Doctors have advised rest and cold-water therapy, and soft tissue treatment will also occur later this week. There is no definitive time frame for healing, but Woods hopes to be back in a few weeks.