BRIEFLY : LOUISVILLE IS BANNED FROM POSTSEASON PLAY.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

The NCAA banned the Louisville men's basketball team from postseason play for one year Tuesday and placed the school on three years' probation because of rules violations.

The nine violations in the men's basketball and women's volleyball programs involved extra benefits, recruiting, financial aid, institutional control and ethical conduct.

The Division I Committee on Infractions handed down other penalties as well, including a reduction of scholarships in both sports. The volleyball team forfeited three scholarships over the next two years, the basketball program one each the next two seasons.

The basketball program's postseason ban also will include this year's Conference USA Tournament.

``We had nearly 100 percent agreement with the NCAA Enforcement staff on all facts of the case,'' university president John Shumaker said. ``The NCAA's response has been tough, but the sanctions are fair and I respect their conclusions.''

The Denver Nuggets named Mike D'Antoni as their new coach, hoping last season's director of player personnel can recreate the success he achieved in the Italian League.

D'Antoni replaces Bill Hanzlik, who was fired in April after the Nuggets finished an abysmal 11-71 season, only two games better than the NBA record for futility. His assistants will be John Lucas, Mike Evans and Louis Dampier.

Sparks assistant coach Steve Smith was named to a similar position by the Detroit Shock on Tuesday.

Grant High basketball standout Gilbert Arenas took a recruiting trip to Kansas State last weekend and is planning visits to Arizona and De Paul, according to his father.

MOTOR SPORTS: Two-time CART series champion Alex Zanardi of Italy is returning to Formula One racing next year, joining Ralf Schumacher at Williams.

The two drivers replace 1997 Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve and Heinz-Harald Frentzen at Williams. Villeneuve is moving to the new British American racing and Frentzen is going to Jordan.

Zanardi, 31, just wrapped up his second CART series title in the United States driving for Target/Chip Ganassi Racing.

``I had opportunities to leave the team earlier on, but I never considered them because I felt staying with Chip was the best opportunity for me at the time,'' he said. ``I feel that I have gotten the most out of my three years and now it's time to turn a page in my career.''

In a move to replace pro football programming, NBC has signed a contract with Homestead Motor Speedway to show the first NASCAR race on the network.

The three-year deal begins in 1999, with live coverage of the Jiffy Lube Miami 400 weekend on Nov. 13-14.

BASEBALL: Former Kansas City Royals reliever Dan Quisenberry, who had brain tumors removed this year, has been admitted to a Kansas City hospital.

According to his family, the 45-year-old is ``resting in God's peace.'' They asked the public not to send cards or flowers but said they would appreciate prayers and thoughts.

A federal appeals court today ordered Adolph Coors Co. to face Brooklyn Dodgers pitching great Don Newcombe in court, reviving a lawsuit the athlete filed over a drawing of his likeness in a Sports Illustrated ad and reversing a trial judge who had thrown the case out.

Newcombe is a recovering alcoholic.

After months of bitter negotiations with the Texas Rangers, Pierce College pitcher Barry Zito decided to transfer to USC.

Zito, a left-hander taken in the third round of the June draft, was reportedly $500,000 apart from the Rangers in his demands for a signing bonus. He was 4-2 with a 3.03 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 59 innings in the prestigious Cape Cod League in the summer.

BOXING: Sugar Shane Mosley knocked down Eduardo Morales of Argentina twice and stopped him at 2:06 of the fifth round to retain his IBF lightweight title in New York.