■BASKETBALL
Tour ends on sour note
Maccabi Tel Aviv ended their NBA tour on a sour note after money and belongings were stolen from their locker room at Staples Center arena, the Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday. The alleged theft occurred during a game on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Clippers. Staples. The newspaper said the Los Angeles police were notified of the incident, which was reported at half-time of the 108-96 loss to the Clippers. The Staples Center game was the second of two exhibitions games Maccabi played against NBA clubs. The first game was a 106-91 loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
■CRICKET
Gibbs, Ntini left out
Herschelle Gibbs and Makhaya Ntini have been left out of South Africa’s squad for one-day international matches against Zimbabwe and England. “It is never easy to leave out senior players, particularly when they are men of the caliber of Herschelle Gibbs and Makhaya Ntini who have given such wonderful service over a long period of time,” team selector Mike Proctor said in a statement yesterday. “But we also have to keep looking forward and reward those players who are knocking strongly on the door.” The 35-year-old Gibbs last played in South Africa’s loss to England by 22 runs in the Champions Trophy last month. Ntini, who was named in the Champions Trophy squad but did not play a game, last played a one-dayer against Australia in April. The squad named yesterday covers the two-match series against Zimbabwe starting on Nov. 8 and the first three of a five-match series against England. Cricket South Africa also named the squad that will play England in two Twenty20 matches. All-rounder Ryan McLaren is in line to make his international debut after being included in both the ODI and T20 squads, while 34-year-old swing bowler Charl Langeveldt, a former Kolpak player with Derbyshire, has been recalled for both squads. Opening batsman Alviro Petersen, who played the last of his five ODIs in March last year, has also been recalled.
■SOCCER
Marathon make last eight
Marathon of Honduras and Comunicaciones of Guatemala reached the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Champions League with victories on Thursday in the final round of group games. Marathon defeated San Juan Jabloteh 4-2 on three second-half goals by Jerry Nelson Palacios in a match played in Trinidad. The victory gave Marathon 12 points in six games and secured second place in Group B. Comunicaciones defeated Pumas of Mexico 2-1 in a Group D game. Comunicaciones finished second behind Pumas with nine points.
■SOCCER
Atletico axe coach Resino
Atletico de Madrid fired coach Abel Resino yesterday after a disastrous start to the Spanish league season. “Abel Resino is no longer the first team coach of Atletico de Madrid as of Friday,” the club said on its Web site. He was replaced on an interim basis by his assistant, Santi Denia, Atletico’s sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch told a news conference. Spanish media said Denmark’s Michael Laudrup had rejected an offer to take over as Resino’s permanent replacement. Other names floated are former AS Roma coach Luciano Spalletti and Quique Sanchez Flores, the ex-coach of Getafe, Valencia and of Benfica. Resino, 49, has been at Atletico since February when he replaced Mexican Javier Aguirre. Atletico, who finished fourth in the Primera Liga last season, are currently in 15th place.
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