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Sports briefs

Compiled from Times wires
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 2, 2002

Knicks' Thomas can't visit home

Knicks center Kurt Thomas was ordered to stay away from his wife and home at his arraignment Tuesday in Stamford, Conn., on charges he assaulted her during an argument over a laptop computer.

Thomas did not enter a plea to charges of third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, and risk of injury to a minor, a felony.

Police said Thomas assaulted his wife, Amber, while she held their 2-year-old daughter. His lawyer denied the accusation. The child was not injured, police said.

Also, forward Latrell Sprewell had surgery on a broken bone in his shooting hand and will miss about six weeks.

MORE NBA: Former center Bison Dele considered financially cutting off his brother, Miles Dabord, before the ex-player and two companions disappeared while boating in the South Pacific, a Phoenix police report said. ... Free-agent center Wang Zhizhi signed a three-year offer sheet with the Clippers, giving the Mavricks 15 days to match it, work a sign-and-trade deal or lose him without compensation. Dallas also signed guards Raja Bell and Adam Harrington, forward Derek Hood and center Kip Christianson. ... Free-agent center Loren Woods accepted a one-year qualifying offer from the Timberwolves. Second-round pick Marcus Taylor and free agents Randy Livingston and Reggie Slater also signed. ... Gary Payton, who skipped Monday's media day, also skipped a morning workout in Sonics training camp. General manager Rick Sund said Payton was taking a physical. Coach Nate McMillan said it was an "unexcused absence," and he will be fined for each missed practice.

COLLEGES: Tennessee men's basketball coach Buzz Peterson signed a two-year extension through 2007-08 worth about $785,000 annually. ... Mark White, a high school basketball coach from Kentucky, was named coordinator of men's basketball operations at Mississippi State. ... Iowa basketball player Pierre Pierce was arrested on a sexual assault charge and suspended from the team. ... An NCAA appeals committee overturned one-game suspensions against Georgia's Ezra Williams and Damien Wilkins for playing in an unsanctioned summer basketball league. ... Division I coaches and journalists ranked Minnesota first in the preseason hockey poll, followed by Denver and Michigan.

TENNIS: Prize money for the Australian Open increased 10 percent to $10-million. ... Jan-Michael Gambill fell to Takao Suzuki in the first round of the Japan Open in Tokyo. ... Anna Kournikova beat Marie-Gaiane Mikaelian 6-4, 6-3 in the first round of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow.

GOLF: Ford Division signed a 4-year deal to be title sponsor of the March PGA tournament in Miami, which will be called the Ford Championship.

AMERICA'S CUP: High winds forced postponement of racing in Auckland, New Zealand, a day after all three American syndicates opened with wins.

SKIING: Two-time Olympic gold medalist Hermann Maier, whose career almost was ended by a motorcycle accident last year, will delay his return to competition.

SOCCER: FIFA will start a pilot program next year to put extra assistant referees behind the goal line. FIFA said it would consider allowing clubs to sign an extra player, known as a "joker," outside of specified transfer periods.

OLYMPICS: IOC officials said they may wait until July to decide whether to bring in golf, rugby or another sport. They will vote whether to drop baseball, softball and pentathlon next month.

VOLLEYBALL: The United States beat Venezuela 3-0 in the first round of the World Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

WEIGHT LIFTING: North Korean Ri Song Hui set the women's world record in the 117-pound snatch at the Asian Games in Busan, South Korea. She lifted 226 pounds, topping the 2000 mark of 220 set by China's Yang Xia.

ETC: Olympic gold medalist Donna de Varona dropped her $50-million discrimination suit against ABC Sports and is rejoining the network as commentator and reporter. She sued in April 2000, saying she was fired because of her age and gender.

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