BRIEFLY CS DOMINGUEZ HILLS EYES USC ASSISTANT.

Byline: - Daily News Staff and Wire Services

USC assistant men's coach Bob Cantu is one of four finalists to become coach at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Cantu, who has been an assistant under Henry Bibby the past three years, will interview today. The other finalists are: Max Ward, Larry Hirst and Damaine Powell.

--UCLA has hired Maylana Martin, its second-leading all-time scorer, as an assistant women's basketball coach. Martin, who help lead the Bruins to three NCAA tournament appearances from 1998 to 2000, replaces Theon Carter who left to become a firefighter.

VOLLEYBALL: The USC women's volleyball team, which has won the NCAA title the past two years, was selected as the preseason favorite in the American Volleyball Coaches Association/USA Today poll. The Trojans haven't lost a match since Nov. 2, 2002.

HOCKEY: The Buffalo Sabres added $1.3 million to their payroll by re-signing forward J.P. Dumont and goaltender Martin Biron.

Dumont, the team's third-leading scorer, avoided arbitration by signing a one-year, $2.1 million deal with a $700,000 raise.

An NHL arbitrator awarded Biron a $600,000 raise in a one-year contract for $2.8 million.

Also, defenseman Brad Brown avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year $700,000 contract.

Biron was forced to share starting duties with backup Mika Noronen until January. Then, he started in 26 of Buffalo's last 32 games, going 16-8-1 and finishing with a 26-18-5 record.

It was his sixth NHL season and third since taking over as Buffalo's starter after Dominik Hasek left. He had a 2.52 goals-against average.

--Anaheim's Ruslan Salei received $2.4 million through arbitration after earning $1.75 million last season when he had four goals and 11 assists.

--Eric Belanger, a Kings forward, also will be paid $950,000.

--The Nashville Predators re-signed forward Vladimir Orszagh. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

--The Tampa Bay Lightning avoided arbitration with Fredrik Modin, agreeing to a multiyear contract with the left winger. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.