Szczerbiak to undergo season-ending surgery

Boston – Celtics forward Wally Szczerbiak will have season-ending ankle surgery next week. The operation at New England Baptist Hospital is scheduled for March 8, the team said Wednesday.

Szczerbiak has missed significant time four of the last five seasons because of injuries. The eighth-year pro has missed 24 games this season because of injury – all but one due to ankle sprains.

Szczerbiak sprained his left ankle during Boston’s game against Sacramento on Feb. 20, the latest of several injuries to his ankles this season. In 32 games this season, he averaged 15 points and three rebounds in 28 minutes.

Celtics broadcaster apologizes for remark

Boston – Boston Celtics radio analyst Cedric Maxwell apologized on the air Wednesday night for saying that a female referee should “go back to the kitchen” after he disagreed with one of her calls.

Maxwell made the comment during the Celtics’ 77-72 victory over the Houston Rockets on Monday. He subsequently said “Go in there and make me some bacon and eggs, would you?” in reference to referee Violet Palmer.

“If I said anything that might have been insensitive or sexist in any way, then I apologize because she worked extremely hard to get where she is now, end of quote,” Maxwell said before the Celtics’ game against the New York Knicks on WEEI-AM, which is owned by Entercom Communications.

“This really has been a fire storm,” he added later.

Man sentenced for hitting former Pacer with car

Indianapolis – A man who hit former Indiana Pacers guard Stephen Jackson with a car during a fight outside a strip club last fall was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison.

Deon Willford was convicted Feb. 12 of felony battery and a misdemeanor charge of failure to stop at the scene of an accident.

Marion Superior Court Judge Patricia Gifford sentenced the 23-year-old Willford to four years on the felony count, with two years suspended. He also was sentenced to a year for the misdemeanor count, which would be served at the same time, and to two years probation.