BRIEFLY : SALT LAKE'S GAMES WILL HAVE 3 MASCOTS.

Byline: - Daily News Wire Services

Organizers of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics decided on a traditional - and positive - approach for a mascot to help sell their scandal-plagued event.

And so at a public party expected to draw up to 20,000 people this weekend, the representatives of the 2002 Winter Games are being introduced, joining a 35-year-old menagerie that has been profitable - and sometimes embarrassing.

Salt Lake's choice is expected to be a Wild West trio - a rabbit, a coyote and a bear.

Plucked from the modern-day marketing maze of focus groups and brand recognition, the mascots will be sold on products ranging from T-shirts and coffee mugs to plush toys and golf balls.

BASKETBALL: Duke freshman Corey Maggette told the Chicago Tribune he will make himself eligible for the June 30 NBA draft and forgo his final three seasons at Duke. After weeks of deliberation and intense media speculation, Maggette made up his mind Friday night at his Bellwood, Ill., home.

A drunken-driving charge against Houston Rockets forward Scottie Pippen has been dropped after prosecutors in Houston determined there was not enough proof he was intoxicated.

SOCCER: At least 20 people were injured, and one was reported in serious condition with stab wounds, following violent clashes between rival fans at the end of the Fiorentina-Lazio league game in Florence, Italy, police reported.

Lamar Hunt spent $28.5 million to build Columbus Crew Stadium, America's first facility built specifically for major professional soccer. It opened with the Crew beating the New England Revolution 2-0 before a cheering, stomping crowd of 24,741 - 2,256 more than capacity.

Hunt, the millionaire oilman who is the investor-operator of the Crew, said he couldn't have asked more from an opening night.

TRACK: Ato Boldon, the world's fastest man last year at both 100 and 200 meters, ran a relatively slow 10.15, but it was enough for an easy victory at the chilly Adidas Oregon Track Classic in Portland.

HOCKEY: Goalie Milan Hnilicka turned in a dominating performance, helping the Czech Republic to a 3-1 victory over Finland in the first of two final games at the World Hockey Championships in Lillehammer, Norway. The second game will be played today. Teemu Selanne of the Mighty Ducks, who was the NHL's top goal scorer with 47 this season, failed to score for the third consecutive game.

VOLLEYBALL: Brent Doble and Lee LeGrande advanced to today's semifinals of the inaugural, double-elimination Oldsmobile Alero Beach Volleyball Series in Huntington Beach by beating Sinjin Smith and Rob Heidger 15-11. Doble-LeGrande will face Carl Henkel and Kevin Wong. Smith-Heidger will battle Karch Kiraly and Adam Johnson. Smith and Heidger defeated Dax Holdren and Todd Rogers 15-9.

In the women's competition, Lisa Arce and Barbra Fontana advanced with a 15-5 win over Annette Buckner-Davis and Jenny Johnson-Jordan. Liz Masakayan and Elaine Youngs had a 15-9 win over Holly McPeak-Nancy Reno.

Top-seeded Arce and Fontana will face McPeak and Reno. Masakayan and Youngs will play Buckner-Davis and Johnson-Jordan.